The Getaway Garage
by WordsToShare
Summary: Asami likes to tinker with her cars, but since her father's personal garage was seized after his arrest, she's been tinkerless and frustrated. In an effort to find some stress relief, she stumbles upon a garage owned by a girl named Korra. Lucky for her, the garage may not be the only thing that can give her a little stress relief. [Pro-Bending Circuit submission, Round 2]
1. Chapter 1

UPDATED A/N:To my new readers - welcome! So you're aware, this initial chapter was intended to be a one shot for the competition details you see below. I decided to keep going after an influx of requests. With that, be warned, the pace definitely chances after the first chapter. It's not quite as innocent/fluffy as this, and so the rating was changed from K+ to M. Anywho, I hope you like it!

A/N: For those who follow me, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while! I've been extremely busy lately and haven't had a chance to update my main fics. I know many are in need of their daily Korrasami fix, so I made my submission for this round of the Pro-Bending Tournament Circuit Korrasami-centric. Hopefully everyone enjoys it! As for my other fics, I'll get to them soon, I promise! The encouraging Reviews, Faves, Follows, and PMs are always appreciated. Thank you!

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**Pro-Bending Tournament Circuit - Round 2  
**

**Team: Ba Sing Se Badgermoles**

**Position: Manager**

**Prompt: NoBending!AU**

**Word Count: 3,288**

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For as long as she could remember, mechanics were her passion. Of course, there were many other things she loved, but when it came down to it, mechanics was the hobby she always fell back on whenever she had a free moment or needed to blow off some steam.

Since her father's incarceration due to a series of "business" deals went horribly wrong (she wasn't naïve; she figured out what kind of deals he was making), she hadn't had much time to enjoy her beloved tinkering time. His firm was left in her name, leaving her to be the only person to manage the entrepreneurial monstrosity. While she enjoyed the concepts of business practices, the constant need to fix one problem after another had been getting to her more and more. She needed a fix of her own; to spend some time doing something she loved. The problem was that the government seized her father's estate, along with its beautifully crafted garage and workshop, until the investigation was concluded.

She decided to take a drive one evening in an effort to get out of the office. The stuffiness of the windowless rooms and suit-wearing men she was surrounded by had been enough to last a lifetime. After one particular and poorly conducted meeting she stomped out, leaving only the loud bangs of a few doors and a "I'm taking a break!" directed at her assistant in her wake.

The convertible she bought was nice, the warm summer breeze from the top being down was a nice comforting tool, but it was nothing compared to the roaring pieces of art she had solely constructed that were sitting in her father's garage. '_When are they going to finish that stupid investigation?_' she asked herself, frustrated with the fact that all of her personal possessions were unattainable even 6 months after the arrest. '_This is absolutely ridiculous_.' A quick huff escaped her lungs as she shifted gears, bracing herself for a quick increase in speed and she swept through the city streets.

After a while, she found herself on the outskirts of the city, having not felt satisfied with the speed limitations and wanting more freedom to let out a little aggression on the open road. The tires squealed as she made quick adjustments with the gearshift and hand brake while coasting around curves and corners. The thrill of potentially losing control at any moment was exhilarating. However, that would never happen, simply because she was Asami Sato and she NEVER lost control.

A dirt road suddenly caught her attention. Without any signs warning of trespassing, she considered taking a leisurely drive down it was legal. With a quick flick of the wheel she made her way down its path, dirt and rocks kicking up under the low-level car. The speedster wasn't really made for rough terrain, but knowing that eventually she would get her four-wheeled babies back, she didn't give it much thought or care. All that mattered was a new setting that she'd yet to explore.

After a couple minutes of driving while taking in the gorgeous landscape surrounding her, a small building came into view, growing in size as she neared. What looked like specks soon became people and equipment and… '_Is this a mechanics garage?!_' A few more yards driven and her observation was confirmed. Several cars were parked in the semi-grassy yard, a few of them with their hoods up and men leaning over the engines. Others were sitting on lifts inside each garage opening, more men standing underneath either working on the under-belly or chatting to others, likely sharing ideas or knowledge about the vehicles. There were a few more men sitting at picnic tables off to the side, laughing over beers and burgers while one stood over a grill, flipping patties casually. '_What is this place?_' she asked herself, looking around for a sign of sorts as she parked a short distance away, unsure of what to do.

Her eyes scanned over the scene, taking in the spectacle of men who were happily working away with one another. Finally, a small sign hanging above a door that looked like an entrance into an office came into her line of vision; _The Getaway Garage_, it read. Asami contemplated the meaning for a moment. '_Getaway – as in a vacation?_' she thought, continually scanning the area.

There were hoards of men walking around of many varieties. Some were tall, dark and handsome, and other were short, stubby and awkwardly out of place, but every single one of them seemed to be smilingly genuinely. For a moment she thought that maybe this place was a gentleman's club of sorts, one where women weren't exactly welcome, until suddenly, from around one of the most brilliantly made roadsters she'd ever seen, came a woman – a HOT woman, to be exact. '_WOW…_'

The average-height girl strolled around from the front of the car where the hood was propped up, seemingly haven blocked Asami's view initially. She was elegant tan color, one that could only be entirely natural, with smooth muscles that scored over her arms and legs as if sculpted by hand. Her hair was cropped just above her shoulders, a chocolate color that was held back by a light and dark blue bandana with Aztec-style print. She wore a pair of dark blue jean shorts that came to rest just below her pointed hip bones, the top of an abdominal 'V' visible just about the waistline. Her t-shirt was a cut off, the armholes dipping down low so that a bright blue sports bra could be seen underneath. A rag was tossed over her shoulder, which she grabbed to wipe her hands on as she gracefully walked toward the trunk of her car, likely looking for more tools. She stopped suddenly, Asami taking notice to the pause in her movement, and then quickly realized her pause was because she was looking directly towards Asami's car.

Asami gulped, feeling like a deer in a headlight, as the woman began walking her way. Having been caught, the best thing she could do was at least apologize for intruding, hopefully getting some information about the location while doing so. She opened the car door and stepped out, closing it behind her and leaning her hip on the frame. The girl stopped in her tracks for a moment, her eyes darting around quickly before she continued her forward movements. '_Did she just check me out?_' Asami thought to herself, her eyebrows rising slightly at the question.

Asami wasn't as stiff as her business counterparts were, dressing regularly more for comfort and fashion rather that professional appeal. Today she was rocking a pair of charcoal colored skinny jeans that rested very low on her hips. Red stilettos extenuated her somewhat curvy, yet slim, frame. Up top she wore an off-white, sheer button down with rolled up sleeves, the black laced bra she wore underneath just slightly visible. Her long, flowing jet-black hair was tied back neatly, away from her face as she wore a pair of grey aviator sunglasses. '_At least I look good today,_' she considered. '_Not that it really matters, unless she really did happen to be checking me out. I guess, we'll see…_'

The girl walked right up to her and stuck her hand out as a welcoming gesture, saying, "Hi there, I'm Korra." Asami took the friendly hand in her own, shaking in their greeting as she returned the sentiment. "Hi. I'm Asami. It's nice to meet you, Korra." Her thumb lightly brushed the back of the girl's hand before pulling away. '_Wow, this girl has smooth skin, and those eyes! I could touch and look at her all damn day._'

"So, what brings you to our little piece of paradise?" Korra inquired, giving her a questioning look, but remaining soft and approachable.

"I actually just stumbled upon this accidently" Asami responded, not really knowing how to explain herself.

Korra laughed at her answer. "That's interesting, seeing as we're quite a ways off the beaten path. How'd you manage that?"

Asami slumped her shoulders, feeling a little foolish. "Well, I had a rough day at work so I decided to take a drive. I saw the dirt road but didn't see any signs, so I figured it was okay. I wasn't expecting to find anyone down this way." She shrugged a little as she looked away. "I apologize if I'm trespassing. I really had no idea."

"Oh, it's fine!" the girl retorted, putting a hand on Asami's shoulder, coaxing her to look up into her dazzling blue eyes. A comforting smile made it's way across her lips as she continued. "That's exactly what this place is meant to be! Welcome to _The Getaway Garage_! The whole idea is that people can come here to enjoy some downtime away from their regular stressors, which is what it sounds like is exactly what you need." The hand on Asami's shoulder slowly grazed its way to her back, sending a wave of electricity through her body. The girl turned to her side and out-stretched her other arm, enticing Asami towards the complex. "I'll show you around, if you'd like."

With a step forward and a side glace towards the young woman, Asami answered her, "Yeah, that'd be great! If you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all!" Korra grinned widely and crookedly, showing off her pearly whites and pinked cheeks in the process. '_Oh my, this girl is too freakin' cute_' Asami commented to herself.

As they walked towards the assortment of cars and men, Asami noticed that Korra's hand had drifted down slightly to her mid-back, never once leaving its place there. Everyone around them had stopped what they were doing, eyeing the girls instead. Asami assumed that they were surprised that another woman was among them, possibly making them angry as some seemed to be narrowing their looks into intense glares. Worriedly, Asami turned to look at Korra, about to ask if it was okay that she was there, until she saw the possessive glare the girl was giving all of them. She smirked slyly to herself, thinking, '_If I'm not mistaken, I'd say Korra is marking her territory_.' The thought gave her a triumphant feeling.

Normally, when someone tried to give off the perception of "owning" Asami, she'd get angry, her independent nature flaring up, as she would refuse to be owned by anyone. However, this felt different. Instead of wanting to brush the hand on her back away and defiantly scold the person attached to it, she slowed down just a tad, enticing said hand into slightly adding more pressure as the girl guided her towards the roadster.

As they approached the vehicle, Korra's hand disappeared from its spot to pick up a tool from atop of the engine block instead. She looked back with a twinkle of elation in her eyes. "Are you familiar with the mechanics of a car?"

Asami smiled. "A little bit."

"You've come to the right place then! I can teach you everything you need to know to get your car into tip top shape!" She leaned to the side, taking a look at the battered convertible. "That thing could probably use a tune up."

A few men off to the side snickered, their gazes bouncing back and forth between the women a couple time before returning to their hushed conversation. Korra noticed the noises, turning back to them briefly with an irritated look on her face. Asami giggled as well at the girl's reaction, causing her to turn back, her expression changing to confusion.

"Is there a joke that I'm missing?" Korra asked, obviously uncomfortable.

"Not at all," Asami responded, giving the girl a warm smile. "I'd be happy if you'd teach me a few things."

The woman before her lit up like a Christmas tree in excitement at showing her some of her knowledge. '_This should be interesting_' Asami thought, curious enough to play dumb for a while as the girl started pointing various parts of the engine out and talking about each one's purpose.

After about a half an hour of patiently letting Korra go through how to fix a variety of common issues, Asami couldn't suffer anymore as she tried incredibly hard not to correct each instruction. Korra was animatedly expressing how to change a spark plug when she reached out to grab the tan hand as it whipped through the air. "Korra…?"

She stopped dead mid-sentence. "Am I boring you?" she began, a look of alarm on her face. "I'm boring you, aren't I? I'm so sorry. I don't usually explain-"

"Not, that's not it," Asami cut in. "I just… know all of this already. And… well, I…" She drifted off, unsure of what to say without embarrassing the girl. "I may know quite a bit more about cars than I let on."

"Oh," was all Korra could get out. After a long, awkward moment of the girls looking away from each other, Korra finally broke the silence. "Um… exactly how much do you know?"

"I may have designed and built a few cars myself…" she started, quickly feeling guilty as the girl's expression turned to a frown, obviously realizing that her somewhat novice explanations were probably completely off the mark.

"How many have you built?"

"Um… Six? There's a seventh that was half built."

"Was?"

"Long story…"

Korra sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Well, I feel stupid all of a sudden," she stated with a hint of sadness.

'_Shit! Fix it, you dummy!_' Asami reached out and grabbed the girl's hand, pulling it towards her to clasp between her other hand, as well. "No! Please don't feel stupid. I should have said something sooner, but you were so cute-" She stopped talking, realizing what she said. '_Shit!_'

Korra's eyes grew wide at the comment, but after a couple of seconds her eyebrows returned to their normal fashion and a surly smile grazed its way across her face. "Cute, am I?"

This time it was Asami's eyes that grew wide in shock, her mouth hanging open just slightly as words escaped her. "I- uh- um… Yes?" Her eyes blinked as she tried to process her response. '_Smooth, Asami… Very smooth_.'

This was so far outside her usual behavior. She was Asami Sato, and she NEVER lost control. Never… until now. On the plus side, though, the stress from her professional life melted away as she found her new mechanic's oasis. Even more so, she found a woman that literally took her breath away. '_Maybe losing control isn't the worst thing that could happen_.'

"Asami?" the girl questioned, breaking her out of her thought process.

"Hmm?" She looked up towards the gorgeous girl's face, completely forgetting that she had just stumbled her way through a very awkward conversation.

"Are you alright?"

The look of worry on the beautiful woman in front of her made her think that she must have gone through a series of expressions, never settling on one as her thoughts drifted. "Oh, sorry. Yeah, I'm fine." She answered quickly. "Would I be able to use the garage? Honestly, mechanics is a bit of a hobby of mine. Really, it's the only thing that gives me any stress relief. I don't have access to my personal garage at the moment, rendering me unable to tinker when I need some time to myself."

"Of course you can!" the girl exclaimed, a little louder than she may have intended. "This place is open to anyone who wants to get away and busy themselves with cars, machines, tools, or whatever else gets their blood pumping."

"That's awesome! What a cool concept," Asami replied, smiling widely as she confirmed her usage of the wonderful haven, as well as changing the subject from her earlier fumble.

Korra grinned devilishly. "Plus, I own the place." At that, Asami was definitely shocked. '_How does a girl who doesn't have much extensive knowledge come to own a place like this?_' she inwardly contemplated. "I know what you're thinking, but the whole point of this place is to help folks gain a little balance in their lives. Life stressors can be a bit overwhelming, so sometimes people need to get away to do something they love," Korra began to explain. "I found this place a few years ago and the guy that owned it had been looking to sell for pretty cheap, just wanting to get it off his hands so he could retire elsewhere. Being that it was conveniently located just outside the city, I thought it was a good investment. So, a couple friends of mine helped me fix it up and word spread that this was a guy's getaway." She chuckled a little at the thought. "That wasn't really what I had intended it to be, at first, but it all worked out. There are few women who come up here with their cars from time to time, or with their husbands to just hang out, but for the most part I'm the only woman here. It would be nice to have a girlfriend to talk to."

The term "girlfriend" seemed to be loosely used, giving the hint of a platonic meaning behind it. Asami's heart both fluttered and sank as it fell from the girl's lips.

"Well, if you'll have me, I'd love to come up and spend some time here whenever I can. My life can get pretty hectic, so I wouldn't mind having a place to escape to," Asami responded shyly. "Also, I think the company would be worth the trip."

Korra's face lit up again. '_I swear, sparks fly when this girl smiles_,' Asami mentally annotated. "I'll definitely have you…" Korra whispered, taking a step closer.

The hairs on Asami's neck stood on end, the words giving her a shiver of excitement. '_Platonic may have just gone out the window_,' she noted to herself. She took a step forward as well, placing a hand on the girl's cheek in the process. Her eyes took notice to the stark contrast of skin tones that reminded her of those chocolate and vanilla swirled soft-serve ice cream cones she loves. "Mm." The soft noise came out, barely audible. Embarrassingly, she looked away, blushing in the process. The sunset caught her attention as she realized how late it had gotten and her eyes drifted back to the girl whose face her hand was still resting on.

"I should really head home," Asami stately flatly, her hand dropping as she took a step back.

"Oh," Korra started, also noticing the night sky making its way overhead as she, too, came to realize the lateness of the evening. "Alright, I understand. Will I see you again soon?" she asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Absolutely." Asami smiled as she began to turn away to head back towards her car.

As she walked off, a hand grabbed hers, stopping her in her tracks and forcing her to turn around. Warm lips pressed against hers, fingers brushing along the sides of her jaw and neck and as body just barely leaned into her. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended. She stood there, entirely shell-shocked as the girl held steady, barely an inch away from her face.

"I'll be waiting." And with that, she walked off, leaving Asami to stare as the girl headed inside through the office door. Her hand came up to clasp over her mouth as she realized what just happened. She turned again, heading towards her car, a smile, once again, plastering itself onto her face. '_Oh yeah, this place is definitely going to be a great stress relief_.'

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A/N: I'm getting a lot of asks about this... This story was only intended to be a one-shot for this competition, however, if enough people show interest I MAY write a continuation for it. It might take a little while because I need to update my other fics first, but I could possibly squeeze it in. As always, Faves, Follows and Reviews are always appreciated! It keeps me going! Much love to you all :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Due to popular demand, I got you all this chapter. Not sure when I'll update again, but hopefully soon. My other two main fics are coming up next. Also, I'm changing the rating to Mature, for obvious reasons. Sorry for my PG-only readers! Enjoy :)

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CHAPTER 2

It had been two weeks. Two long, tiring, aggravating weeks of dealing with the 'suits' she was surrounded by on a daily basis. Her father's law firm had done well over the years, but with his recent incarceration, some of the lawyers had decided to take positions elsewhere, leaving her with an unruly mess to constantly clean up. Luckily, a few new ones had come on board. However, most of them had been straight out of school, seeing as some of the more experienced individuals out there wouldn't come near the firm with a 10-foot pole, concerned that it could tarnish their careers. The young lawyers, unfortunately for them, had limited options in the recent economy, thus leaving them with a tainted firm whether they liked it or not; a job was a job, after all. This left Asami with more on her plate than she cared to deal with, eventually causing her to snap at a meeting and rushing from the room in an agitated huff, claiming that she'd be taking the rest of the day off.

While driving through the streets of Republic City, she knew that she needed an outlet, a way to relieve some stress. The woman thought of her usual pass time, knowing that the investigation still hadn't been concluded, her tools remaining under lock and key by RC's finest. '_Seriously, how long has it been now? How could it possibly take this long to release my father's possessions to me so that I can use them?_' she asker herself, her rage beginning to surface at the frustrating situation. Suddenly, a brown-haired beauty standing in front of the most glorious garage she had ever seen popped into her mind. '_The Getaway Garage… Korra…_' Without a seconds hesitation she turned the car abruptly, heading in the direction of the oasis she knew was waiting for her beyond the city limits.

It was about mid-day when she pulled up. The place looked somewhere deserted with only a couple other cars and their owners in the vicinity. She parked and got out of her car, making her way into the garage through the only opened bay door. There was a truck on a lift with an older man standing underneath as he reached into the truck's belly. He wore a stained yellow t-shirt with a dark red hoodie and a pair of basic blue jeans. He had a well maintained bearded and a bald head, though there was a strangely placed, yet seemingly faded, tattoo on his head of an arrow. '_Huh, now that's something you don't see every day._' The man must have heard her footsteps as he suddenly looked away from his tools and in her direction, an exceedingly friendly smile placed across his face.

"Hi there," he started. "Can't say I've seen you here before. Can I help you find something?"

Asami blinked, feeling almost like she knows the man, but knowing that she'd never met him before. "Um… yeah. I'm looking for Korra. Is she here?"

The man brought his hands down from the spot he was working on, dropping the tools on a work station just a short couple of steps away and picking up a rag to wipe his greased hands on. "You must be Asami! Korra's been raving about you for days." His smile lit up the room as he spoke, Asami only nodding in response to his assumption of who she was. "I'm Aang. I'm a long time friend and bit of a mentor of Korra's. It's great to meet you." He stuck out his still somewhat greased hand in an effort to greet her.

Asami could only stare in disbelief for a moment as he showed off a similar and very dashing grin as he stuck out his hand. '_Wow, he reminds me of Korra, a lot! I wonder if they're related somehow,_' she contemplated. After a moment she realized she was being rude and reached out to take the hand, giving the man a small smile and nod in return. "It's nice to meet you, as well. Hopefully you've heard good things."

He chuckled before responding. "Oh yes, good things, indeed. You left quite the impression on our bringer of balance."

She giggled slighty, suddenly feeling awkwardly giddy. "Would you mind pointing me in her direction?"

"Sure! Just take that door back there to head to the back of the building," he stated while pointing just over her shoulder. "There are a couple of smaller, more private working huts out back. You'll likely find her in the first one." Asami smiled and gave her thanks before heading out the door to find the young woman.

There were 4 smaller buildings that looked almost to be sheds, but built exceedingly better. The first one that Aang had mentioned was off to the left, just slightly bigger than the others. As she approached, she could hear a clanging and pounding sound, along with what seemed to be exhausted huffing. She knocked briefly, trying to maintain some form of manners, before realizing that the girl probably couldn't hear her. She resigned to opening the door of her own accord, seeing that turning the knob gave away that it was unlocked. Doing so, however, left her with a view that would be imprinted in her mind permanently, and very happily so.

Apparently, building number one was made up to be a gym for the paradise's patrons. All around the edged were various weight machines, racks, benches, a couple of stationary bikes, rowing machines, and a few other weight and cardio fitness products. There were some speed bags on one wall with a row of gloves and wraps close by. In the middle of the gym, however, was what caught the onyx beauty's attention. A rather large boxing ring stood dead center in the building and atop it was the woman she had been looking for, in nothing more than a pair of small, tight blue shorts, a white sports bra, and wraps around her hands and ankles. Her hair was tied up as much as possible due to it's shortened nature and she was ponding away at a very heavy looking body bag.

The girl made one punch, two, three, ducked and swerved, a backhanded hit as her other elbow came across the hit the freestanding bag. It moved with her hits and she spun around it quickly, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet, both arms tucking against its sides and a leg wrapping around the lower half before she came down on her other foot's heel and forced herself into a backwards flip, taking the bag with her and slamming it into the floor of the ring with her weight pressed on top. '_Lord help me, if I could only switch places with that bag_.' Asami stated as once again the girl moved into a roll, bringing herself to her back and wrapping her other leg around the bag, arching her back off the floor as if willing the object to break in half.

A buzz sounded from a clock off to the side of the ring and the perfect specimen of a woman released her prisoner, tossing it to the side before standing. Her back was to the intruder, not having noticed her presence yet, as she began to stretch. Muscles poured over the bones, willing themselves to break from the mocha skin that held them captive in the wonderfully sculpted body. Gracefully, she flowed from one form to another, the ripples in her back showing off the intricate movements as her legs spread wide and she lowered herself almost entirely to the ground. Hands stretched to the ground in front of her and her back arched, enticing the well rounded backside to rise higher, its form taking shape brilliantly before the pale-skinned woman as she unconsciously walked forward, entranced by its glory. The athlete lowered herself more, bringing her splits entirely to the ground. 'What I would give to be a speck of dust on that floor.' A small gasp caught the girl's attention and she quickly moved to turn around, seeing the intruder staring, her hands firmly gripping the rope and pulling it from her line of vision.

"Ah! Asami!" The girl paused, trying to catch her breath from being startled. "You scared me! When did you get here?"

"Hhhh…uhhh…hmm-nuhh"

"Um, Asami? Are you okay?" The girl moved to her hands and knees, crawling closer as she inspected her new friend.

The raven-haired woman's eyes traveled to the bust line that was directly in front of her. Perfectly formed breasts were just waiting to burst from their holds. '_The crawling isn't helping!_' "Mnnuuhhh…yuhh. Yeahh. Yes –" she muttered under her heavy breathing. "Yes. I'm… I'm fine." The stunned expression she held would easily say otherwise.

"Are you sure? You look like you're about to faint." Korra reached out in worry, gently placing a hand on the white knuckled one still holding the ropes.

Asami squeaked in surprised at the touch, falling backwards and bringing the rope with her before losing her grip, its springy-ness causing it to shoot straight at the other woman. Luckily, Korra's brilliant reflexes helped her to grab the rope just before it hit her face, but nothing could be done as the frail body before her went tumbling to the ground. Korra moved to stand up and leaned on the ropes, smiling at the woman below her as the girl groaned in response to her embarrassing fall.

"I'm only going to ask this one more time; are you sure you're alright? That didn't look like the most pleasant way to say hello to someone." Azure eyes sparkled as she giggled through her comments.

Asami grumbled to herself as she made her way to her feet again, shaking her head slightly to rid the clouds that had apparently been looming over her brain, affecting her ability to act like a normal person. "Yeah, I'm alright. You just startled me, is all."

Korra laughed. "Ha! I startled you?! I'm not the one who was watching someone workout unknowingly… and rather intensely, might I add." She finished with a wink and a grin.

'_Stupid cute grin with its stupid winking adorableness._' Asami grumbled again, internally, wanting to slap that knowing smile right off the woman's gorgeous face. "Oh, whatever. I wasn't expecting to find you working out. Aang said you'd be back here, but a gym wasn't exactly what I had expected to find."

"And what exactly was it you were expecting to find?"

The girl shrugged in response. "I don't know, another workshop, I guess?"

Ropes parted as the fitness guru made her way to exit the ring and jump to the floor beside the other girl. "Nah. While I made this place to be a getaway for lots of hard-working people, cars aren't exactly my thing, incase you didn't figure that out last time you were here." Asami laughed lightly, confirming her knowledge of said statement. "This area," she began again, stretching her arms wide and spinning slowly in an effort to take it all in, "was made for me. Fitness is my go-to when I need a break. So, I run this joint as my job, but back here is my own, personal oasis."

Asami nodded, understanding that even Korra needed a break from time to time. "So no one else comes back here?"

"There's a select few that I'll let borrow the key if they're nice to me, but for the most part, no, this is simply for me."

The slender woman looked around, imagining for a brief moment what it would be like to train with Korra, sweat dripping down their bodies, aggressive looks thrown each other's way at the heat in the room would rise.

A blush must have made its way across pale cheeks as the girl took in her surroundings, which the other girl must have noticed as she began to speak again. "But you know, I'd be willing to share it with you, if you'd like. You seem like you could handle yourself in here pretty well, and I bet it would help relieve you of whatever is bothering you."

The last sentence made emerald eyes lock on to bright baby blues. "Is my frustration that obvious?"

Korra smirked, stating, "You've got multiple levels of frustration plastered all over your face. I don't know if it's your job, home life, relationship, or something else, but you obviously need to relieve some tension."

Asami snorted at the comment. "Relationship? What relationship? The closest thing I have is with my job, which speaking of pisses me off on a regular basis. As for a home life… Well, when I'm even there the only thing it consists of is take out boxes and a lot of laundry."

"Well, let's fix that then!" Korra perked up even more, excitement in her eyes.

The lids over jade eyes narrowed slightly. "Which part?"

"All of it."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for any errors. I don't have a beta and it's 3am... So, I'm totally digging this story now. I've definitely strayed away from the PG rating that chapter one started as. But, that's okay. I'm having fun regardless, and somehow I get the feeling none of you really mind ;). Happy reading!

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CHAPTER 3

The next week went by with Asami making her way to the garage at some point everyday. After the first few days, she got annoyed at having to move spots around the other patrons that were already there, causing her to eventually begin going into the office early just so that she could leave early to get to the garage before many of the other goers. This resulted in bay #5 becoming her permanent mechanics haven by the second week.

Every day at the garage carried on with the same routine. Asami would park in her spot for the day (before bay #5 became hers), pull out her tools and lay them out very specifically, followed by a series of stretching, a couple hours of tinkering with her car or some other object she brought with her, more stretches, then peacefully making her way home. It was heaven. No one bothered her, except for the occasional light chat with the ever-so-smiley old man Aang, and she preferred it that way.

On the first day of week number three she pulled up to find bay #5 already opened for her and a young, tanned-skinned woman leaning up against the brick just off to the side, fumbling with something in her hands. She was looking exceptionally gorgeous today with her loose fitted dark jeans, a light grey v-neck tee, a pair of dark brown combat-style boots and her chocolate locks half ties up in a semi-messy bun. Asami pulled into the bay and parked, stepping out of the vehicle to start her routine as she opened her trunk, when in her peripherals she noticed the woman making glances at her. Knowing that the girl was probably trying to politely get her attention, she turned to face her, huffing in the process at having to have a conversation when she really just wanted to enjoy her 'me' time.

"Yes, Korra?" she began.

"Well, hello to you, miss sunshine," the woman quipped back, a sly twinge in her smile as she spoke.

"Sunshine, indeed. Sorry, I don't mean to be snippy. What's up?"

Korra hesitated momentarily before kicking herself off the wall and taking a few steps towards the businesswoman. All the while, she moved her hands, along with the unknown object, behind her back. "You know, you've been coming here for two weeks and I haven't heard a peep out of you," she started as she stopped just a few paces away. "I'm not sure if you are just really into working on your car and forget what's going on around you, or if, just maybe, you're avoiding me."

For a moment, Asami just looked at the garage owner, one eyebrow raising quizzically at the comment before furrowing them both as she crossed her arms and looked at the ground. "It's neither. I've just… just really missed having time do think to myself while I sort of just absent-mindedly do something with my hands."

Blue eyes gave the woman a once over while nodding in understanding. "And is it working to release some of that frustration we talked about?"

The woman, dressed in black skinny jeans, a loose fitted white blouse and red blazer with rolled up sleeves and a pair of patent leather black flats, unhooked her arms from around her chest, letting them fall to her sides as she sighed in defeat. Leaning back against the car and continuing to gaze at the floor, she spoke up, saying, "No, not really. All I do is think about the mess that my father left me at the office and how I'm constantly struggling to keep things moving forward." She shuffled her right foot around on the ground as she crossed her arms once again. "I feel like I can't get away long enough to catch my breath, much less show up the next day ready to make some kind of miracle decision that everyone expects from me."

At some point, Korra had made her way closer to the stress-induced woman, having reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. The touch was light but comforting, fingers slowly grazing down her bicep, squeezing every few centimeters in a gentle massage. Asami's eyes closed at the feeling, remembering what it felt like to be touched by someone even though it had been quite some time. The hand continued its way past her elbow; pulling slightly on her forearm to entice her away from the grip she had on her other arm. While one hand pulled her out, cupping underneath her knuckles and lifting her palm skyward, another clasped over top, dropping a piece of metal into her hand.

Asami's eyes opened when she felt the cool object become encased in her fist. She looked up into bright eyes boring down on her own. Looking down again, she asked, "What is this?"

"It's a key to my gym. Maybe you need something other than tinkering with a few nuts and bolts to help you relax a little."

A flash back of a couple weeks ago popped into Asami's mind as she remembered the girl before her working out rigorously… and looking mighty fine while doing it. Heat spread across her face and down her body when two fingers brushed under her chin in an effort to make her look into the face of the woman before her. She was welcomed by what looked almost like a worried expression.

"It's okay to break away from your routine you know. Maybe, let someone help you blow off some of that steam."

Asami cocked her head at the comment. "And you think that should be you?"

Korra stepped back, pulling her fingers away in the process, but not before gliding them lightly across the pale-skinned throat the hovered near. She shrugged. "I could be. I don't just hand out keys to my personal space to just anyone." She turned on her heel, making her way towards to bay door to leave the girl to her vices. Though, just before walking out she stopped and glanced over her shoulder before stating, "You're welcome any time," then continued on her way.

Emerald eyes remained focused on the spot where the other girl had stood just moments ago. '_Maybe she's right. I could use a good distraction. But… Nevermind. She couldn't have meant what I think she meant._' Turning back to continue her routine, her mind jumped back to the kiss they shared when she first found the garage. Their first meeting was anything but platonic, but Asami didn't have time in her life to think about the what-if's of relationships or non-relationships (if that was even an option). Even after she'd leave her little safe haven every day, she found herself either back at the office after everyone had gone home or pouring over the paperwork that managed to cover her kitchen table until all hours of the night. The couple of hours of tinkering that she now managed to squeeze in were just enough to help keep her sane.

Apparently, the other woman wanted to continue to let her offer be known. For the rest of the week, as if on queue, when Asami would pull up to the garage, bay #5 was already open and she would be leaning against the brick just outside the door. Most days she would just casually be standing there, not focusing on anything in particular, but glancing sideways just slightly as the car pulled into the bay. A couple times she'd have either a magazine or a book in her hand as she skimmed over the pages. Each time, once Asami would get out of the vehicle and begin her routine, Korra would push herself off the wall and stalk by, tossing a sarcastic "hey there, sunshine" her way before heading out the back door.

On one particularly bad day, roughly around day ten since their last conversation, Asami didn't make it to the garage when she wanted to. Instead, her day consisted of dealing with some very unruly and very aggressive reports that were camped outside of her home and office. News had broken that morning about some of the details involving her father's investigation, and it was anything but kind. The sun had already set by the time she left the office, only making it to her car undetected by disguising herself as any other passerby using a jacket, hat and sunglasses that a few ladies in the office kindly let her borrow. Knowing that the garage would probably already be closed, or in the process of shutting down for the night, she took her chances anyways, simply because she needed to get away, far away, where the press couldn't get to her. As she pulled up, she was surprised to see Korra standing there in her usual spot, bay#5 miraculously untouched, and a newspaper in her hands. '_Did she wait for me all day?_'

Once the car was parked and Asami stepped out, Korra was upon her in almost an instant, leaning up against the side of the car and holding up a newspaper. The bold letters flashing the phrase 'REPUCLIC CITY'S LARGEST LAW TYCOON TUMBLES AMIDST COURT DOCUMENTS FRAUD SCANDAL' stood out, making Asami cringe internally and let out and audible groan. "I assume this is what's been bothering you…"

"Seriously, Korra, I don't want to talk about it. That's all I've been doing all day." The now boarder-line fuming woman tried to sidestep the woman in front of her, but a strong hand grabbed her shoulder firmly in an attempt to stop her. Asami, already boiling under the surface, shrugged the hand off with a whip of her hand. "I'm not kidding. Leave it alone."

"I don't want to leave it alone." She reached out again, trying to get the woman to calm down.

"Korra! Knock it off. I just want some peace and quiet." Taking another step around the girl she tried making her way to the trunk to take out her tools, only to be stopped again.

"No," Korra began as she slammed the newspaper onto the hood of the car and turned to grab both the girl's arms before she could get away. "What you need is someone to help you work through your stuff."

The younger woman's forcefulness, '_Who does she think she is?!_', was enough to set Asami over the edge. She raised her hands up, circling around the other girl's arms to make her lose her grip, and then pushed on her chest, forcing her back into the side of the car. "Don't fucking touch me! You don't know me and you have no right to tell me what me I need!" Stepping forward to get in the shorter girl's face in an attempt to intimidate her, she began yelling at the top of her lungs. "I don't need you or anyone else telling me what to do! I do just fine on my own and I can handle whatever shitty cards life deals me! I've been doing just fine –"

Her tangent was cut off when strong hands grasped around the sides of her jaw, fingers pressed against her neck just behind her ears, and pulled her in for a searing kiss. Soft lips with a tint of roughness brushed against hers, instantly draining her previous thoughts from her mind and redirecting them towards this surprise - this very unwelcomed surprise. Asami pushed off the chest just inches from her own and stepped back.

"What the FUCK was that?!" she screamed.

Korra pushed off the car and straightened up, puffing out her own chest in preparation to yell as well. "You know what your problem is, Asami? You don't know how to fucking let go," she began, taking one very heavy and aggressive step forward, leaning into the seemingly combustible businesswoman. "I've been watching you sulk around this place for weeks, giving you your space, letting you have control; but then it hit me. You don't want to be in control! You want someone else to take it from you." Two rough hands gripped slim hips and spun them around, forcing them back against the side of the car. Mocha skin and dark lips made its way dangerously close to the side of a flushed neck, breathing deeply against the close contact. "Well guess what, sunshine?! I'm taking it, and you're going to like it. You're going to give in and you're going to let me help you get some of that balled up tension you've got wound up in you out for good. Do you understand?"

Asami most certainly could have combust at that moment. '_Holy shit…_' She was at a complete loss for words. Nothing more than deep, panting breaths would come out of her mouth, regardless of how many times she opened and closed it while attempting to answer. Nodding – that was something she could do, so she did, just enough to be noticeable.

"Good." Korra pressed her lips against the burning hot skin of Asami's neck, lingering for a moment as the breathed in deeply through her nose, seemingly taking in the woman's aroma as much as possible. Asami's brain could hardly function. '_Holy shit…_'

As quickly as it started, it ended. The athletic goddess extricated herself from the now frail and shaking woman leaning heavily against the vehicle, staring deeply into her wide jade orbs with pupils almost entirely blown.

"Finish your routine. I'll be in the gym… when you're ready. The girl walked off, leaving only the sound of the back door closing behind her.

'_HOLY SHIT…_'


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is probably my favorite chapter yet. I may have mentally high-fived myself. I'm not ashamed.

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CHAPTER 4

'_Stupid Korra with her stupid know-it-all attitude and her stupid hands and face and…_'

Asami spent the last 2 hours going through her now usual routine at the garage, though, not without a significant amount of frustration while doing so. She had pulled out all of her belongings and got down to business - set up, stretch, tinker, think, reassemble, clean up - all the while, her mind remaining on the woman who had single handedly rendered her speechless. No one had ever managed to do that. She felt almost ashamed, like a piece of her armor had been stripped away leaving her vulnerable and confused.

The other girl had never returned, leaving only an invitation behind that even Asami's genius mind couldn't decrypt to its specific meaning. '_What does she want from me?_' she asked herself. '_Granted, she's obviously attractive, and attracted to me, but I can't figure out where she's going with this._' It had been a long time since she'd been with someone. A very… long… time. But, even so, that wasn't the kind of girl she was. Deep down, Asami wanted nothing more than for someone to accept her for who she was, not just who society painted her to be. She wanted to be cherished, wanted, longed for, even; to be as important to someone else as she knew they would be to her. Unfortunately, those people never came.

Throughout college and law school, there were a few times that she had tested the waters in a freeing sort of fashion. She dated, semi-casually, always finding herself to be left wanting more when others were only using her for her daddy's name and prestigious reputation, or simply because she was hot. One by one, the flies would drop. She dated – it never lasted. So, she slept around, and that just left her feeling used and empty. Eventually, she stopped entirely and put up a wall, keeping people at arms length and beyond in an effort to protect herself.

Growing up, her father had a pretty elegant car collection. It was his pride and joy. The time he spent in the garage was when he was truly happiest, especially after her mother had passed away at such a young age. It was a heart attack – she didn't talk about it. Her father changed afterwards, becoming sheltered and overworked, drowning himself in the need to gain money and influence. Really, she thought, it was because he thought that if he had enough money then maybe, just maybe, he could buy back the love that he was missing so much, but it was impossible, and the strain had driven him in directions that eventually landed him in jail. Even with all that, though, there was one place that he would revert back to the father she knew he really was on the inside, and that was in his garage; so that's where she would go too, eventually giving her the only thing in life that she truly loved – mechanics.

This, unfortunately, contributed to her current predicament. She had come to the Getaway Garage to blow off some steam, by doing what she loved, after a very difficult day spent dealing with the press regarding a turn in her father's investigation. However, now she was frustrated for an entirely different reason. '_At the very least, Korra got my mind off of the crap being spewed in the newspapers_,' she considered. She'd put all of her belongings away and was now pacing back and forth in the bay's threshold, the key given to her from the exotically intoxicating woman being twirled in her fingers as she continued digging trenches in the floors with her scuffed walking. If she kept it up any longer, there might actually be a hole in the ground.

Fists clenched in irritation as her mind wondered to the moment those very capable hands had grabbed her attention. She never considered herself to be one to like it rough, her past experiences usually consisting of timid-ness and awkward touches, always feeling like the situation was one-way. Always given, never reciprocated. This was different, though, and exhilarating, if she was being honest with herself. She focused on the moment when they first met, just how beautiful and wholesome the young woman seemed, excited to have a new face in her establishment. Even so, she remembered the possessive glare the girl had given the men that were standing around them, and how she remembered thinking, '_She seemed so innocent just a moment ago, and now she's almost… primal._' It had only flickered for a moment, but it was definitely there, something more aggressive in nature, just underneath the surface. Then there was that kiss. Hot damn, that was good! It was unexpected, unwarranted, and definitely exactly what she didn't know she needed, similar to the one a couple of hours ago.

The invitation lingered in her mind. "When you're ready," Korra had said. Ready? Ready for what, exactly? It was all too much, really. Gears turned rapidly in her mind as she tried to decide what to do. The sun had long since set over the horizon, the city lights twinkling off in the distance as Asami stopped and looked out the bay door and beyond the tree line. It had to be late, there was no doubt about that, and she had, yet again, another early day tomorrow, especially if she wanted more 'tinker time' to herself if she came back again tomorrow. She may as well not even sleep anymore. '_Uggghhh, what do I do?!_' This was getting out of hand, and quickly.

Finally, she came to a decision. It wouldn't hurt to at least go talk to the girl, see what she was doing, and find out what she wanted. With the turn of her heel, before she lost her nerve, she walked out the back door and headed towards the first hut where she knew the captor of her thoughts was residing.

As she walked up to the door, she took in a few deep breaths, steadying herself to face whatever it was Korra had in store for her. After a moment, she reached out and grabbed the doorknob to enter. Problem was, it was locked. '_Huh, that's weird. Why would she lock the door if she's inside?_' Remebering the key in her other hand, she slid the tiny utensil into to lock, turning and clicking it into a lesser secure position. One more deep breath and she opened the door, only to be surprised by a dark gym lit only by a couple of emergency lights around the edges.

"Korra?" she asked out loud, wondering what was going on. "Are you here?" A moment of silence enticed her to look around, her eyes landing on a set of light switches just to the right of the door. She flicked them on and closed the door, the blubs overhead flickering to life as they slowly lit up the room. There was no one there. '_I'm so confused_,' Asami signed to herself.

She walked around the gym, giving herself the chance to more closely inspect the equipment and contents of the hut. Each piece showed sign of use, but was obviously well taken care of. A room in the back was set up like an office, papers tossed all over a desk, chair and cabinet, even a few on the floor. '_Organization obviously isn't her strong suit._' There was a cot off to the side with a blanket and pillow folded up and placed on top, making her wonder if the owner of this massive oasis either just slept there on occasion or actually lived there.

Wondering back towards the door, heading to leave since apparently the invitation didn't stand, something suddenly caught her eye. The boxing ring that was in the middle of the room had a medium-sized cardboard box sitting in the middle, a white envelope on the floor leaning against its side. Upon approaching the ring out of curiosity, she was stunned to see a word written on the envelope. Just one, simple word – her name.

Thoroughly confused at this point, she figured it was left there for a reason, alluring her to further her inspection of the objects. Placing her hands on the edge of the ring, she lifted herself up and climbed through the ropes, treading lightly towards the center, as if something might jump out at her at any moment if she weren't careful. Curious hands lifted the letter from the ground, opening it to reveal somewhat sloppy handwriting meant only for her.

_Asami,_

_If you found this, obviously you know I'm no longer here. I'm sure you're probably pretty confused right now. I told you I wanted to help you and then I disappear. That's a shit move on my part, right? Well, you're wrong. I DO want to help you, but you need to learn to help yourself a little bit first._

_The box has a few contents for you. Don't be shy – open it up! First things first, you need to eat something. I can tell you don't take proper care of yourself physically. Obviously you stay in shape – I admit it, I looked. But, I assume you probably skip most meals because you're too busy and forget, which isn't healthy. So, I made a nice big sandwich for you! There's also some fruit and juice, even one of those baby bottles of vodka (incase you want to take off the edge). There's a blanket, too, along with a radio, so set yourself up a little picnic and relax while you eat._

_Sometimes when frustration builds up, all we want to do is hit something. You know what a great cure for that is? Actually hitting something. There's a pair of wraps and gloves in the box for you. I took a guess at the sizes you need. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how accurate I am. Along the gym wall there's a speed bag and a heavy bag. I have a feeling you want something a little more… full body. In the corner of the ring is a body bag; the same one you just happened to catch me throwing down on the other day. Get your frustrations out. Luckily, it doesn't hit back. And don't hold back, either. Kick, punch, grab, slam – whatever it is you need to do to work out all that tension. Have at it._

_There's one last little gift in the box for you. There's really no reason for it except that you're pretty and I want you to smile. So, enjoy._

_You're welcome._

_-Korra_

Asami was astonished. No one had ever done something like this for her before. She didn't even know what the right reaction to have would be. Instead, she blinked several times, reading the letter over again; just to be sure she comprehended it correctly. After a few minutes, she folded the letter up and knelt to the ground, laying the paper on the floor before lifting the box's lid to reveal its contents.

A gasp left her, as her eyes grew wide at the scene. A huge bouquet of roses rested just under the lid. Her hand clasped over her mouth as she stared. Pale fingers eventually reached out, gently wrapping around the stems, gathering the gorgeous flowers and lifting them to her chest. Her heart was pounding as she breathed in the sweet scent of the most romantic gesture anyone has ever made. Closing her eyes, her mind swirled and raved and screamed for her to release the air that she was holding in. If lungs could cherish, that's exactly what they were doing, never wanting that feeling to escape.

Mechanics are simple. Nuts and bolts come in specific sizes, fitting perfectly into the screw holes they were meant for, holding everything together. Hoses carry air or liquids where they needed to go, keeping systems running, as they should. Wires connect the parts that need to talk to each other, feeding information as commands are made and the whole thing follows. People… people are not simple. People are confusing, emotional, selfish and unyielding. Asami knows that not all of them are that way, but the ones she's come across always have been. This was new and uncharted territory for her.

She set the flowers down to the side and inspected the rest of the items. Everything that was mentioned in the letter was there. Taking them out one at a time, she put her thoughts about analyzing what it all meant aside and did as she was told and decided to enjoy it. She unraveled the blanket and lay down, turning the radio that she placed next to her on and listening to smooth jazz tunes fill the air. The baby vodka bottle was emptied into her juice cup as she nibbled on the most delicious apple she'd ever tasted. Her muscles relaxed and her eyes closed, enjoying the peace she was given. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of the dinner the missing romantic made for her. Sitting up, she opened the container and ate her meal, all the while scrolling through additional stations on the musical box. As she finished, she landed on a rock station; intense drum-lines and guitar melodies filled her ears, making her senses aware of the frustrations she was still holding inside.

Asami pulled out the wraps and gloves before refilling the box with her leftover trash and blanket. She set the box aside, but left the flowers on top so that she could see them. One at a time, she slid her slender fingers into the wraps, wiggling them to get the finger holds to settle comfortably between each appendix. The gloves came next, gliding over top and firmly encasing her hands, though she struggled a bit to get the Velcro closed to hole them in place. '_Hmm, they do fit. Good guess._'

In the corner of the ring was the body bag, enticing her to take hold of it and let loose. She grabbed it, wrapping her arms around it as it was dragged to the center of the ring. A couple of quick punches and a kick helped her get a feel for its give. She lifted it for a moment, memorizing its weight. Stepping back, she shook out her arms, bouncing on the balls of her feet and she breathed in and out, gaining a sense of focus and resolve. Then, her brows furrows and a look of determination came over her face. Her legs widened and heels planted themselves in the ground, her body lowering and fists rising in a stance ready take on the world. One more breathe and she was READY.

'_So this is what she meant…_'


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I know this is shorter than my previous chapters, but I wanted to make a slight adjustment before transitioning into some plot ideas that I have. The more I write, the more I realize there's some opportunity here to turn this into something more than just a fluff piece. I'm a little bothered, still, by the pace change from Chapter 1, because as we all know, it was originally intended to be a one-shot. But, I keep telling myself not to go back and change it as I loved that chapter exactly how it was written. For that though, I apologize to my readers, as I'm sure it bothers some.

Review response for Kwib-Kwib: My dear friend, here's the thing... Like I mentioned, the first chapter was not written for this to be a long story. It was a cute piece for a competition. Regardless, its a story and isn't intended to be 100% realistic, though I do like to keep a majority sense of reality. I understand your thoughts about it being "too fast", which is partially why its turned into this bit of a teasing storyline, as I slowed their relationship speed WAY down. As stated in my A/N above, I actually have considered how the pace of their first kiss in Chapter 1 was a little forced in regards to the entire story, but I've decided not to go back and change it and am, instead, working around it. Also, while the idea certainly isn't original, I'm trying to go through different twists than others have used to add a new level of flavor. I like to think that Asami's loner workout session was a nice change from the "norm". One last comment - about you mentioning the speed of same-sex relationships being faster. Honestly, I wouldn't know. To me, emotions are what they are and people react as they see fit. I've never been one to believe there was anything typical about any kind of relationship, whether it be gay, straight, fast, slow, traditional, unconventional, or whatever else. I'm a pro-choice kind of person, where as, do what works for you and you alone. Anyways, that's just a little personal note for you. I do appreciate your critique and welcome any other comments, concerns or otherwise that you might have.

* * *

CHAPTER 5

The sounds of shuffling feet and rustling movements filled her ears, rousing her from a dream she couldn't remember. That grogginess of just waking up clouded her mind, her body still unmoving and wrapped in a blanket as her brain began to function before her limbs. More sounds rang louder, their origins unknown. She began to stir, only to be greeted by a stiff back and sore muscles. A groan escaped, her body's unwillingness to cooperate taking hold as she tried to roll over. The smell of a medium roast and vanilla filled her nose as she breathed in deep, willing herself to wake up and greet the day. Shuffling stopped nearby, the feeling of someone's presence making itself known.

"Good morning, sunshine."

Her eyes snapped open at the words. Bright blue eyes and the most brilliant tilt-a-grin she'd ever seen welcomed her to the day. Jumping slightly, having been startled by the sudden comment, she scooted back, putting a bit of space between her and the girl kneeling in front of her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she stated, a soft tone of concern in her voice. "I thought you might want some coffee. It's still fairly early and I get the feeling you aren't exactly a morning person." She winked, holding up a steaming cup in the process.

Asami just blinked for a moment, trying to register what was happening and where she was. '_Did I fall asleep here?_' She shifted to sit up, her body aching in response. Groaning again, she closed her eyes and shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the pain. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again, seeing the gorgeous woman just kneeling there, staring at her, a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips. Reaching out, she took the coffee and folded both hands around it. Her shoulders tucked in and her lips lowered to the cup, breathing in the aroma and taking a small sip. Her eyes closed once more. "Mmm, that's good…" Her voice trailed off before opening her eyes again and finally scanning around the room.

Somehow she ended up on the cot in Korra's office. How she got there, she had no idea, but the clutter of papers and smell of sweat helped her to finally register where she was. Seemingly noticing the confusion on the mechanic's face, Korra spoke up once more. "I found you curled up against the body bag in the ring a few hours ago. I tried to wake you up, but you sleep like a rock. You must have worked yourself into a dead exhaustion. I figured the best thing to do was to at least move you somewhere that you could lay out with a pillow and blanket."

Now she remembered. After spending what felt like hours working out, exhaustion had taken over and Asami had collapsed to the ground, telling herself, at the time, that she would only close her eyes for a few minutes minutes before getting up to head home. A few minutes turned into a few hours, apparently. "In that case, thank you for moving me. And, I'm sorry I took your spot." She remembered wondering why the cot was there to begin with. "But– um– if you don't mind me asking… Do you live here?"

Korra's smiled turned to a frown, shame taking shape across her features as she looked down to the floor. "Unfortunately… yes. Being that I don't take any money from the people who come here, I don't exactly have the means to pay for my own place." The gorgeous woman shifted and cleared her throat, obviously uncomfortable. "This cot is usually good enough for me. I don't need much. When I came back you just looked so peaceful; I couldn't leave you where you were. I hope you don't mind."

The girl's lack of usual confidence, which had changed into such bashfulness, shocked Asami, a bit. She wasn't used to the typically forward women being so downtrodden. "Hey, it's fine. Like I said, thank you for moving me." One of her hands involuntarily released the cup and reached out to lie atop a slumped shoulder. "And thank you for… you know, the box, and the letter." She paused. "And… especially the flowers."

Crystal blue orbs looked up at her again, their confident glow returning. A smile appeared and little wrinkles around the edges of her eyes emanated her genuine happiness at the words. "You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it. And, hopefully, you feel a little better now." The last part came out almost like a question.

"I do. I don't know how –" she paused for a moment, thinking about what she was about to say. "I don't know how you did it, or knew what I needed, especially considering that I didn't even know… But, I appreciate it." Her hand withdrew its hold on the woman's shoulder, returning to the cup as her eyes followed its movements. A sigh escaped. "No one has ever done anything like that for me before. It's a little strange… new and strange."

A finger made its way under her chin, nudging her to return her gaze to the happy face in front of her. "Its their own loss if they don't realize how exquisite you are, and how you deserve to be happy." Those words and accompanying smile made Asami's heart flutter. The girl stood up, moving to walk away before stopping at the door and turning halfway to speak again. "Finish your coffee. There's a bathroom with a shower in the corner of the gym if you want to clean yourself up before heading to work. I have some things to do, but I'll be back before you get here later." She smiled once more, a little wider. "Assuming, that is, that you'll continue your trend."

Asami laughed at the assumption. '_Am I really that predictable?_' she asked herself. "Of course. I'll be here."

"Good." A wink and a nod sent the raven-haired woman's insides over the edge. Her body would have toppled over on weak knees had she not been sitting down. "I'll see you later then. And remember, what's mine is yours. You're welcome in here anytime," and the very, very suave woman walked away.

As was quickly becoming custom for the two, Asami was left in the girl's wake, mouth slightly agape and confusion written on her face. '_What the hell was that supposed to mean?! Ugh, I swear, this girl is going to leave me a withered mess every chance she gets._' Her brows furrowed and a groan made its way from her throat after every few sips of the deliciously warm vanilla drink.

When she finished, she set the cup down and gathered her things, bypassing the offer to shower as she decided going home to take a very long and very cold shower was probably the better option. After folding up her blankets and gathering up her box of goodies, she made her way out of the gym, locking the door with her new prized possession, and headed towards her car. Once settling in the driver's seat, she noticed a sticky-note on the wheel. Similar scribbled handwriting from the previous night adorned the yellow paper with a few quick words.

_Sunshine–_

_Be happy today. Good things are coming. I'll be waiting._

_–K_

Another wave of elation roused her insides as she read the note. '_Damn, this woman sure knows how to make a girl swoon._' Placing the note into the box sitting beside her in the passenger seat, she turned on the car and shifted into gear, taking off own the dirt path towards what was already beginning to be a great day.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Two chapters in one day!? Whaaaa-? You're welcome. ;)

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CHAPTER 6

When Asami returned to the garage later that evening, Korra was back in her spot, leaning against the wall casually as bay #5's door was left open for her to pull right in. There was a bag at her feet and a cup in her hand, though it didn't look like she was drinking from it. A magazine was in her other hand, held up in front of her to read as she lounged.

Once parked, Asami stepped out of the car and moved to the trunk, opening it to take out her tools and mat. As she leaned over, a bag dropped down near her hands and she slightly turned her head to sneak a peak at the owner. Instead, light fingers grazed across her lower back and up her opposite side, two of them coming up to poke her slightly as if walking up to her shoulder before being removed. A breath could be felt against her ear sending shivers up her spine as she closed her eyes.

"A healthy girl is a gorgeous girl... You need to eat." Her eyes opened at the words, and just like that, the air blown towards her sensitive spot was gone.

Moving to place her items on the ground, she grabbed the bag and closed the trunk. She immediately noticed the coffee sitting on the roof of her car. Opening the bag cautiously, she noticed another sandwich and a banana, as well as another sticky note. Green eyes turned to scan the room, finding the tan-skinned seductress a few bays over, talking to one of the other patrons. She looked up at her, tossing her a wink before diving back into the conversation. Perfectly manicured fingers reached in to take out the sliver of paper, opening it eagerly to see what soothing words were written for her this time.

_You have nice boobs. *insert childish drawing of boobs here*  
_

Asami snorted, almost doubling over in laughter at the ridiculous note. '_Well that was anything but soothing._' She shook her head as an idiot-sized grin plastered itself across her face. She stepped around to the side of the car, opening the back door so as to place the little note in her box. After returning home earlier that day, she had tossed her leftover trash and placed her flowers in a vase, but decided to leave the box to hold her wraps and gloves, as well as the letter and notes she had received. A smile spread itself a little wider as she looked at her, now growing, collection of notes. It was cute. Super cute. Who doesn't love post-its?!

Grabbing the coffee and bag of delicious foods, she hopped up on the trunk and ate her dinner as she watched the other patrons work and talk and laugh amongst one another. She wondered to herself if breaking away from her routine to socialize for once would be a bad thing. As much as she hated being lonely, she hated breaking her sense of habit even more. Then again, maybe that's why she was lonely to begin with, because her walls were wound up so tight that no one could get in, let alone have something as simple as a casual conversation.

Finishing her meal, she decided she'd do it. Like Korra had told her, she needed to let go and let loose. It wasn't doing her any good to be so stiff all the time. Jumping off the car and tossing her trash into a bin a few feet away, she scanned the area for someone approachable. While her business sense and lawyer quirks made it easy for her to speak without being nervous, it was different when there wasn't already an agenda planned out.

Her eyes landed on a broader guy working on his car across the yard. He looked friendly enough, soft features, an ever adoring grin that seemed to maintain itself regardless of the fact that his eyes showed frustration at something under the hood of his car that had him at a loss of what to do next. He just stood there, staring at the engine, a smile on his face and a hand rubbing his neck. It pained Asami to see a man so lost when it came to cars; the least she could do was help the poor guy.

She walked up to him a few moments later. "Hey there, are you having trouble?"

He jumped slightly, obviously not having heard her approach. "Oh, hi! Uh – ha! Is my ignorance really that blatant?"

She giggled and shook her head. "No, not really. I just happened to catch sight of you staring at your car like it might fly away at any moment."

"Cars can't fly! I know that much at least!" His hand dropped from his neck and his shoulders and back slumped a bit, and 'oh' expression taking hold and he stared off into the distance. "Or can they?"

The man's sudden sense of awe made Asami laugh a little more. "They can't, but that would be cool, wouldn't it?" She stuck her hand out in a greeting gesture. "I'm Asami, by the way."

The burly man shook the thoughts from his mind as he came back down to earth. He took the hand in a bone-crushing grip, making the frail woman wince slightly. "I'm Bolin. Nice to meet'cha!"

"Nice to meet you too, Bolin." When she finally got her hand back, she rubbed her knuckles in an effort to get the feeling back in her fingers. "How long have you been coming here? I can't say that I've seen you before."

He waved his hand in the air, dismissing her thoughts. "Oh, cars aren't really my thing. I come by when the place is closed to help maintain the lifts, doors, lockers, etc., pretty much any of the machinery or tools. I run maintenance for a few buildings in the city, so I do it here, too, to help a friend out."

"Oh, so you know Korra, then?" she asked in surprise.

"Oh yeah! We go way back!" His eyes widened suddenly, as though he realized something. "Wait – are you _THEE_ Asami?"

Horror struck her, not wanting to go into the details of what's been printed in the paper as of late. "Um – I'm not sure what you mean?"

"The new girl's name is Asami. It's all Kor –" He froze mid-sentence. "Um… You know what? It's not important. You're new here! Bay #5, right?"

Asami is utterly confused at this point. "Yeah." She turned slightly, pointing back at the vehicle she left in her go-to spot. "That's my car back there. How'd you know I'm in Bay #5?"

He glanced around her in the direction she pointed in. A low whistle exhaled in approval. "Nice ride."

"Thank you." She noticed his eyes averting elsewhere, obviously dodging the question. "So, Bolin, what's the trouble you're having?"

"Ah, this hunk of junk never wants to work appropriately." He kicked the side of the car, only to wind up squealing in pain as he grabbed his toes and hopped around on one foot. "Damnit, you stupid car!" Collapsing on the ground and sitting Indian style, he pulled rubbed his pained foot and pouted up to the woman above him. "I can't get the damn thing to start and I don't know why. It won't even turn over at this point. I've replaced everything I can think of, but the piece of crap just won't work. I told Mako we should splurge a little for something nicer, but NOOOO… He didn't want to listen to me." He mumbled a few more _stupid's_ under his breath.

"Who's Mako?" she asked unknowingly.

He looked up again after having looked down to inspect his toes. "He's my stubborn and un-budging brother that never listens to me."

She nodded in understanding. "Ah, siblings. Yeah, I hear ignoring each other is a thing."

Confused, he spoke up. "You've heard?"

"I'm an only child, so I wouldn't really know."

"Aw man, that's such a bummer," he started. "As annoying as he is sometimes, I wouldn't trade my brother for the world. There's no better relationship that the ones you have with a brother or sister!" A smile crawled across his face at the thought before dropping to a frown upon noticing the woman's downtrodden expression. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't gloat."

She shrugged. "It's alright, no worries. I've come to terms with my less-than-stellar family dynamic." Turning towards the engine, she bent over it, her expression shifting to one of deep thought. "Hmmm, it might be the alternator. If that goes out, it doesn't matter what you replace, there will be no power for the car to do anything."

"I had no idea!" he yelled excitedly, thrilled at the idea of fixing the damn hunk of junk. "What do I do?"

"Why don't I pull my car out and we lift yours in the bay and I take a look?"

His eyes shifted to the side as if looking for something in particular. "Um – but – that's your bay. I don't want to take it away from you."

Asami shook her head at the comment, not knowing where the idea that the bay belonged to her came from. "It's not _MY _bay, Bolin. Either way, I don't mind helping and sharing. Let's get this fixed before it gets too dark out; how does that sound?"

He jumped up, pumping his fist in the air as he went. "Alriiight! That would be super awesome! Thanks, Asami."

Laughing at his excitement, she responded in kind. "It's no problem. Now, come on! I'm going to need your help pushing this thing."

A few hours later, Bolin was driving off, his large arm sticking out the window and waving goodbye relentlessly to his new friend. Asami stood there smiling, happy that she could help and even teach him a thing or two. After a few moments, she turned see most of the patrons had left, only a couple of stragglers still cleaning their stations. In the corner, a scene caught her attention. Korra was speaking with old man Aang, his hand on her shoulder as her body language showed her looking entirely defeated. He whispered a few things in her ear, her head nodding ever few moments at the words. Patting her cheek, he turned to walk away and left the girl leaning against the wall, sinking to the floor.

The sight was entirely new for Asami. There was only one moment, earlier that morning that the sweet and confident woman looked anything but entirely too-well put together. Instead, here she was, her arms draped over her knees and head tucked into her chest. It felt like something was constricting her heart to see the woman so down. There was no way she could simply just walk away and leave her like that, however, before deciding to try and help, her feet had already closed the distance between them.

"Korra?" she spoke so softly that the girl might not have heard her. A minute passed and no response.

Asami crouched down in front of the woman and gently clasped her hands in her own. "Korra? Are you alright?"

It took a few moments, but eventually the chocolate locked head rose up to look at her. That signature grin was taking over her features; though, the remnants of crying were caked around the edges of her eyes. One of her caramel hands left go and rose up to a pale cheek. The soft skin and rough callouses gently pet across her cheekbone and jaw line before the palm rested on her on the side of her face. Asami found herself unconsciously leaning into the touch, enjoying the feeling of contact.

"I'm perfect. Did you have a good time working with Bolin?"

Asami's brow furrowed for a moment unconvinced that the woman was okay. She pulled back slightly and smiled. "I did. You're lucky to have such wonderful friends."

The woman shrugged, her grin receding just a bit. "I am. He's a good guy; so is his brother, Mako. I've known them for a long time. They're actually the friends that I had mentioned who helped me with this place." She looked around the room, as if taking it in for the first time, like she was basking in the memories of their first days in the garage. "I wouldn't have any of this if it weren't for them."

Her cryptic words, tone and demeanor were confusing Asami. Apparently confusion was the day's standard for her. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked one more time.

Korra moved to stand up, reaching out to help Asami up in the process. "I'm okay, I promise. I'm more concerned about you. Is there anything you need?"

The brilliant woman knew better than to press something that someone didn't want to discuss, so she dropped the subject. "I'm good. Thank you for the dinner… again."

"It's my pleasure." Raising the hand she still held from lifting the woman from the ground, she pressed her lips against the lotion-induced skin, all the while keeping her gaze on emerald eye. She lingered momentarily, causing Asami's breath to hitch. The linger ended, however, and her hand was released. The loss of contact was… saddening. "I still need to get my workout in, so I'm going to leave you to finish up."

"Do you want me to come with you?" The question came out more eager than intended.

"Thank you, but you should go home and get some much needed sleep. I'm good, I swear. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Asami smiled at the reassurance. "You know it."

"Excellent. I'll be waiting." She winked and headed out the back door towards her personal space.

Asami packed up her car and headed home, her mind's wheels turning as she wondered what was bothering the other woman. She was obviously troubled, and old man Aang was comforting her to an extent. '_If she wanted to talk to me, she would have,_' she reasoned with herself. '_But then again, she forced me to break out of my shell. Maybe I should do the same?_' As soon as she arrived home, she got to work, thinking of ideas of what she could do for the exotic beauty, telling herself that she wanted to make the other woman feel as good as she makes her feel. '_Two can play this game._'


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I come bearing angst... and a lot of words. Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 7

Every day, Asami would show up to the garage and Korra would be there with a bag with some type of dinner she made and a coffee in hand. She'd make some small quip about her appearance, a need to eat, if she'd gotten enough sleep, that she should take more breaks from work, and so on, often times teasing them with a small touch or closeness, and then disappear. A couple of times, Asami would go look for her, asking a few of the guys around if they'd seen her and checking the gym for any sight of the young woman. But it seemed that, while she was doing well to take care of Asami, she wouldn't let Asami take care of her.

One day, a little over a week later, Asami was irritated enough with the woman's disappearances that she tried to stop her from walking away. The only response she got was, "If you're good, then I'm good. That's all that matters." The comment stunned Asami enough that she lost her grip and the girl slipped away again, heading through the back door. By the time she shook it off and walked to the back herself, Korra was nowhere in sight.

It was time she took it upon herself to find out what was going on. As far as she knew, Aang was the only person who might have any idea of what was going on. Seeking him out, she finally found him in the back of Bay #1, sitting on a bench and looking over a collection of letters. Doing her best to put on her best 'I'm Asami Fucking Sato and I always get what I want' demeanor, she marched right up to him and began to demand some answers.

"I know you know," she started a little harshly.

Aang looked up, his pale skin sagging slightly in his old age and the bags under his eyes and shadowed features showed a well-worn man who'd experienced a full life. However, his grin spoke otherwise, showing the same bright youth and comforting appeal that Korra had, as well. He cocked an eyebrow at the remark. "I'm not sure I know what you mean, Miss Sato."

She folded her arms and puffed out her chest, cocking an eyebrow in return. "Oh, I think you do. And I want to know, so you're going to give me some answers."

Seemingly understanding what she was referring to, he scooted over a bit, leaving room for his new conversational mate on the bench. "Please, take a seat," he stated rather coolly and calmly.

She softened a bit, unfolding her arms and taking a seat, her back arching as she leaned her elbows on her knees and clasped her hands together in front of her. She tilted her head up to the side in waiting for the old man to continue.

"Do you know what these are?" he began, holding up one of the letters.

She was unsure of where he was going with this, but decided to play along anyways. "It looks like a letter."

He nodded, humming a few "mhmm" sounds. "But do you know specifically what they are?" he asked again, more definitively.

"I wouldn't know until I read them."

"Ah, wise girl," he stated. "Best to never assume."

She nodded in agreement, continuing to wait for him to elaborate further.

"This… This is a thank you letter." He motioned to the stack of paper on the floor. "These are all thank you letters. Messages of appreciation and admiration."

Asami eyed the papers carefully, wondering if there was more to the supposedly simple explanation. "I don't understand…"

"Korra has gone through great lengths to help people over the years," he started once more. "She's helped to save marriages, improve self-esteem, forego depression, even save a few lives. She's always helping… patch people up. In the years she's owned this place, she's done more for people than most would do in a lifetime."

Her awe at what she was hearing had begun to creep through. The light-hearted and gentle being she had begun to grow so fond of was more than just a light in her own darkness. She was a light for many others, as well. "That's amazing, truly. But what does that have to do with what's wrong with her right now?"

Aang set the letter down on the stack and moved to lean back against the wall. She could hear his brittle joints pop in doing so, his body relaxing a bit as he folded his arms in his lap and stared out into the establishment. "There are a few answers to that question. It's never as simple as one thing that makes us feel a sense of defeat in life. It's typically a combination of many that overwhelm our ability to maintain."

The confused woman batted her eyelashes, anger at the continued cryptic messages beginning to boil underneath the surface. "I understand that; we all have things in our life that get difficult from time to time, some more than others, and we just have to learn to deal with it. That still doesn't answer my question."

He sighed, realizing that the woman wasn't going to let go anytime soon. "This garage isn't just a business. While, yes, the idea is to have somewhere for people to go to unwind and relax, and its done quite nicely at being successful at that, but a free auto shop doesn't exactly pay the bills, nor does it satisfy a sense of duty to helping others that someone like Korra believes in so strongly."

Asami was beginning to understand that there was A LOT more to Korra that she didn't know about. Granted, she hadn't had much of an opportunity to get to know the woman on a personal level yet, she had thought that, with their shared… intimate moments… that eventually the owner would open up a little more. "Okay, so, what else is this place then?"

He shook in head in response before speaking up again. "I'm sorry, Asami, but that isn't something that I can tell you. It's not my place, nor is it anyone's place, except Korra's." He stopped to think for a moment, seemingly choosing his next words carefully. "I can tell you, however, that not everything works out the way we want it to. When it doesn't, we feel solemn – sadness, pain, hurt – whatever emotions go along with the actions or situation that affected our mood." He looked intently into the jade irises of the woman next to him, willing her to understand. "Something didn't go the way she wanted it to, and now she's in pain. It will pass, but it will take a little time."

His words prompted Asami's mind to return to the look on the poor girl's face when she was slumped to the floor that day. The sadness and despair in her eyes was overwhelming, but she did her best to keep her composure so that Asami wouldn't worry. "Can I ask you something?" she began.

"Of course. I can't guarantee I'll have the right answer, but I'll do my best to have an answer none-the-less."

She looked at the ground, her fingers fidgeting slightly. "Korra spends so much time taking care of everyone else and helping them with their problems. But… I – um –" she stumbled, trying to get the words out. "But… who takes care of Korra?"

She looked up as the question spilled out and a sly grin overcame the old man's face. "You know, that's an excellent question…" His comment trailed off as he stood and stretched. "I think it's time I head home. Enjoy your evening, Miss Sato."

"You, too, Aang." She watched him walk out of the bay and climb into a car before driving off. Once again, she was left to wonder. '_I wish people would stop leaving me to sit and stew on whatever they said. It's starting to get old._' A low chuckle was had at the thought.

Deciding not to bother with her car today, she chose to finally put her gloves to use instead. Walking back to the vehicle, she opened the door and pulled out the items Korra had given her to use. While doing so, the stack of stickies she'd gotten in each of her dinner sacks were piling up nicely in the bottom of the box. She picked them up, reading them over once again with a smile on her face.

_You're more than what those suits see you as, Sunshine. Don't let them get to you._

_Remember, my door is always open. Just, knock next time to avoid further accidents._

_:) :) :) :) Look, I got you all these smileys! They're just so happy to see you! :D_

_Despite what you might think, you don't have to be perfect all the time._

_Fuck those newspapers. The stupid writers can't even spell! Hell, one of them said you're name was 'Salami'! Just say the word and I'll set the nearest paper stand on fire._

_Bolin has started calling Bay #5, 'A's Bay'._

_You still have nice boobs._

_I promise you, I'll be here, everyday… waiting._

The notes never got old, nor would they ever. Some of them were hilarious and she couldn't help laughing again as she read them. Others were, surprisingly, exactly what she needed to hear that day. As hard as she tried, she couldn't figure out how Korra seemed to know EXACTLY what she needed. But, regardless, it was amazing, and she wasn't going to start complaining anytime soon.

But, it was her turn to return the favor. And, knowing the young woman, she'd come back eventually, so her best bet was to wait in the gym. If she was going to be in there, she may as well make her time useful and get out some of her frustrations from the long workweek she'd had. '_I'm about to go to pound town on that body bag, and not in a good way_.'

A few hours pass by and the next thing Asami knows, the clock on the wall says it's 11:37pm. She grunted in disappointment and exhaustion as she realized that maybe he faux mechanic may not be coming back after all. '_It's not like I can stay here all night. I have to work in the morning… stupid job, always getting in the way…_' Her mind trails off as she goes to drag the body bag back to its original resting place. In doing so, she never heard the door open and close, or the body moving up behind her.

As mocha arms move to wrap around her waist, startling Asami, she grabs one, pulls it forward to expose a shoulder, then grabs that as well as she spins and flips the body over her back. With a loud crashing sound, the woman groans and coughs, obviously not having expected to be handed her ass.

"Ugghhh – what the hell, Asami?" she asked, rolling over to rub her neck and shoulder.

"Korra! Oh my, I didn't know it was you!" The equally shocked woman knelt to the ground, moving to reach under the other woman's arms to help lift her up. "I am so sorry. You caught me off guard."

As Korra made her way back to her feet, she turned to face the other woman, a quizzical expression on her face. "Off guard? That sure seemed more like being _ON _guard, to me." She reached around to her lower back, pushing in and bending backwards as she popped her cracked her spin to gain a little relief. "Where did you even learn that?"

Nimble fingers twirled around each other in from of the embarrassed woman as she looked at the floor. "I may have taken a few boxing and muay thai classes in the past."

Athletic arms crossed over a puffed out chest as Korra laughed aloud at the confession. "Ha! I knew it! You've got more fight in you than just an audacious attitude."

Emerald eyes snapped up, narrowing at the comment. Her hands moved to her hips, her bodyweight shifting to one leg as she stuck her hip out. "Aren't you the one being a little presumptuous, now?"

Hands flew up in the air in defense. "Hey! I just call 'em like I see 'em!" That classic grin planted itself across her darkened features, pearly whites showing off amidst a smile that could light up any room.

"Uh huh… Riiight…" Asami lighted up a bit and crossed her own arms before continuing. "Speaking of calling them like I see them, where have you been?" Korra hesitated for a short moment, regaining her composure quickly before walking off and jumping off the side of the ring, heading towards her office. Asami called after her, watching her physically dodge the question. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Just one sec," came the voice from within the confines of the office. After a minute or two she stepped out again, a pair of sparring pads in her hands. She tossed them into the ring before climbing back in. Picking up the pads, she slid them over her hands and moved to the center of the ring, crouching down and slapping them together in a come hither fashion. "Come on, then… Hit me."

Asami let her arms fall and sighed. "Korra… I don't want to hit you. And I don't even have my boxing gloves on."

"That's alright, you're wraps will protect your hands enough. These pads are softer than the bags."

"I don't want to spar. I was waiting for you to come back to talk, but –" she glanced at the clock before returning to the blue-eyed woman's gaze. "But now it's later and I really need to be heading home."

Korra closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. Reopening her lids, she stared the other woman down with a new level of determination. "No way. I can see you've got tension built up in you. Finish getting it out before you head home." She wiggled her eyebrows for a moment. "You know it'll feel good."

"What'll make me feel good is if you tell me where you keep running off to," she started again.

Taking a step forward, Korra shoved her shoulder with the pad. "Come on, Asami. Hit me."

Getting angrier by the minute, thin brows began to furrow as wrap encased hands clenched into fists. "Seriously, Korra, I don't want to hit you. Why won't you talk to me?"

Another shove. "Grow a pair. Come at me."

Angry green eyes closed and shoulders rose, a small growl emanating from the woman. "Korra!" she snarled. Eyes opened once more, the edges burning red in irritation. "Once again, what the fuck is your problem?"

"My problem is that you won't spar with me," Korra stated while smiling slyly. "I guess I'll just have to make you." In one quick movement, the athletic woman dropped to the ground, stuck out a leg and swept across the floor, taking Asami's feet with her. The slender girl toppled over, barely managing to catch herself with her palms before her faced met with the mat.

"THAT'S IT!" She pushed herself up and lunged at her idiot friend. A left jab followed by a right hook went flying towards the woman, only to be blocked by those damn sparring pads. A small step to the right and a quick jump to the left followed, only to be continued by a right uppercut. Blocked. Left hook. Blocked. Backhand. Blocked. Crouch and sweep. Missed. Spin and jab. Blocked. The series of successions continued, one after the other without pause. Left, right, sweep, trick, hook, back, jab – she was ruthless in her endeavor. A solid 5 minutes passed before either woman could hardly breathe anymore, doubling over to lean on their knees as the feeling of nausea took over.

Asami caught a glimpse of Korra losing her focus, her sights set to the floor rather than her opponent. She took her chance and lunged once more, catching the girl with one leg wrapped behind her knees and a forearm pushed into her chest. They went straight to the floor, Asami's body pounding down against the stubborn woman's fit form, knocking the wind out of her. She quickly lifted herself and clamped the girl's hips with her knees and reached out the shove the pads off of sprawled arms. Grabbing weakened wrists, she hoisted the woman's arms above her head, effectively pinning her to the ground. '_Game over._'

It took a couple minutes for the two to catch their breath, the pinned one taking significantly longer. Asami patiently waited, unwilling to move for fear she'd lose her grip.

"Damn, woman," Korra finally spoke up, still out of breath. "What are you so mad about?"

Long, thin fingers tightened their grip, nails slightly digging into the flesh under their hold. "I'm mad at you! Didn't you hear me trying to ask you a question?"

Korra's expression bottomed out as she turned her head away. "Yeah… I heard you. I just didn't want to answer."

"Well, you don't have much choice but to answer now, now do you?"

Blue eyes faded away as the woman's eyelids closed around them. She took in a deep breath, closing her mouth and slowly exhaling through her nose. "It's not worth bringing up. My problems aren't your problems."

Asami glared at the girl, scoffing at the comment. "But, mine are yours, supposedly?"

Shoulder shrugged, the tanned face remaining in its place, the silence between them quickly expanding.

Dark locks fell onto the other woman's face as Asami dipped her head and sighed deeply before flipping her hair back over her shoulder. "Korra," she started, her tone soft and gentle, "you're problems are absolutely worth bringing up. You don't have to keep everything bottled in." A crystal blue orb peaked out from underneath a slightly opened eyelid. "You ask me about my day, everyday, because you care. You want to help take care of me, and I am forever appreciative of that. But –" She paused as Korra's head turned up to look at her, her eyes opening wider to look directly at the woman above her. "It's okay to let someone take care of you, too."

Without a moment's hesitation, dark lips lunged forward, clinging to soft cherry ones with a fierce vigor. Asami's grip loosened as she lowered her elbows to the mat on each side of the gorgeous woman's head. Firm arms slid down and wrapped themselves around her slim waist, pulling the woman down flush against muscular form below her. Their hold tighten, as if never wanting to let go, as the kiss deepened in its passion.

Asami's leg slid between the other woman's, pressing up lightly as her tongue danced across somewhat chapped lips, eliciting a groan from within their confines. A taunt hand brushes down her side, its thumb caressing the side of her breast. Her fingers tangle within thick strands of soft hair, her nails scratching against the scalp and down the side, behind an ear towards the woman's neck, enticing her body arch upward as sensitive spots were grazed upon.

In one, swift movement, the women are rolled over, Korra's body lifting to dangle above a gasping Asami as she strains to catch her breath. Foreheads touch and eyes close, the warm air of soft pants being felt along each other's chins. A rough hand comes down softly against Asami's head, its fingers threating lighly within her raven mane as it brushes past her sensitive ear and along her jaw line.

"Do you mean that?" the soft words, barely above a whisper, breaking the silence.

Jade hues appear to look up at the darling girl just a breath away. "Look at me." Korra's eyes strain and her face contorted in an effort to hold back. "Please… I want you to look at me." Tears can be seen peaking from the edges of the woman's eyes, daring to fall from their current captivity. Asami nudges her nose at the other, a last wordless attempt to make those dazzling orbs gaze into hers.

Finally, what looks like an ocean current of tears, tinted by their teal backdrop, barrel down on the lime gems begging for her attention. Her expression is dark, almost broken, as if pleading for someone to piece her back together.

"Whatever it is that's hurting you, I want to know about it, because it hurts me too. You've done nothing but be gentle and kind to me, and while I know you treat everyone that way, I've yet to see anyone return the favor."

"I don't want favo–"

"Hush." A long finger was placed over the woman's mouth to silence her. "Just listen." Asami takes a breath before continuing. "This isn't a favor. This is a reciprocation of care and compassion and…" she trails off, looking off to the side for a moment before returning back to that magical stare that was making her heart beat a mile a minute. "And, something that I don't know what it is yet. I want you to trust me, like I trust you. Can you do that?"

Korra's eyes close once more and teardrops fall on ivory cheeks. "I don't know, Asami… There's so much you don't know."

"So tell me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Korra began to pull back but quick hands grabbed the collar of her shirt, holding her in place. Her eyes opened again, the tears drying up and an intensity burning in her blown pupils. "Please, Asami, I'm begging you."

The determined woman shook her head and looked up once more. "No. You need to talk to me. You need to let me in, like I've let you in.

"I'm telling you, I can't."

"Then," she started, shutting her eyes tight and pursing her lips. She took in a deep breath and shoved the other woman off of her and moved to stand up. "Then I can't do this." Picking up her jacket and shoes that she had discarded earlier, she jumped out of the ring.

"Asami, wait!" Korra lunged to her feet and grabbed the ropes, about ready to heave herself over them and follow. The angered woman spun on her heels and shot a nasty glare her way, forcing her to stop in her tracks.

"No, Korra! I won't be a part of something so… so… one-sided!" She took a step forward, reaching in her pocket and grabbing the key that was in there, tossing it at the now terrified looking woman's feet. "I've done this before, this letting people in when they won't let me in, and I won't do it again. All it does is tear me apart. But, I refuse to be shredded by another person just looking to get in my pants. IT. WON'T. HAPPEN. Not again. _NEVER_ again."

Without saying another word, Asami turned and dashed out the door. For once since she arrived at the garage, she wasn't the one left dazed and confused.

* * *

Additional A/N: And so, the plot thickens ;)


	8. Chapter 8

WARNING: Explicit scene of non-consensual sex. It's not too over the top, but if you're sensitive to this, I suggest you skip. It's in the 3rd paragraph between the breaks.

A/N: This chapter is a bit of a filler, but there's two purposes for it. One is to get a better glimpse of Asami's past and why she left last chapter. Two is to set up the stage for the next chapter. I was going to do it all at once, but decided to break these chapters up. So, apologies, but this chapter really isn't all that exciting.

Also, I don't have a beta and I rarely re-read what I've written because I go too fast, so you'll sometimes find spelling or grammar errors. My bad! I really do sprekin-ze-engrish, I swear!

* * *

CHAPTER 8

It had been four days since what Asami was now mentally referring to as '_the throw down_'. However, regardless of the time, she hadn't felt any better about the situation. '_UGH! Why did I do that? Why did I have to say that?!_' She had been scolding herself ever since she walked out, having regretted her choice the moment she slammed the door behind her. Her built up frustration kept her moving forward, though, towards her car, towards her apartment, towards her bed where she spent the night unable to sleep.

Work hadn't been getting done due her growing lack of interest in anything other than the stack of post-it notes that somehow made their way from the box in her car to her desk. She thumbed over them, one at a time, reading the words reverently as she pictured the mysterious woman sitting in her office, scribbling the words down and laughing to herself as she packed up a lunch sack, ready to give it to Asami whenever she would arrive. The image melted her heart a little and tears began brimming once more, begging to escape, as they'd be doing so for days.

It was ridiculous what she said, and she knew it. It was evident that Korra had no intention of using her, for sex or otherwise. But, previous experience taught her to be cautious. Though, now she seemed to be more paranoid than anything.

* * *

A couple years ago her father had pressed one of his "star pupils" on her, nudging her to take advantage of a relationship to form a business partnership in the future. She wasn't given much of a choice in the matter, as he was constantly setting them up. Varrick, was his name. He wasn't bad looking, a little goofy with that mustache of his, which reminded her of a pirate movie with his eccentric personality, but he cleaned up nicely and was very respectable. For being held in such high regard by her father, though, it was certainly surprising to her to learn of what an actual tool he was. He began riding her ingenious wave, stealing tactics and ideas, copying case notes, and then passing them off as his own. Not that Asami cared much about gaining credit for her work, but she didn't particularly like someone taking said credit as their own, especially when they hadn't given much help at all. After a particularly bad case went south and Varrick blamed Asami for lack of participation, granting her a rather disappointing lecture from her father and the board of partners, as well as somewhat tarnishing her reputation, she'd had enough and broke it off, putting him in the hospital when he attempted a pass at make-up sex. This was the last time she'd let anyone use her, but it certainly wasn't the first.

Before that was a particularly off-putting woman in law school whom she had developed a "friends with benefits" relationship with. They shared a few lectures together, however Kuvira wasn't exactly the talkative type. She was sweet though, taking notice to Asami and moving to sit by her everyday and occasionally bringing her coffee. The woman was flawless in her stature, all hard and pointed, intense glares and high cheekbones and a rockin' body under tight clothes. For months they were each other's keeper when they needed a release. Asami had eventually given her a key to her apartment, which probably wasn't the wisest ideas, as she'd show up at the worst times, taking Asami's attention away from her studies and planting them on herself instead. Kuvira wasn't one to beg. After so long, what they were doing didn't make sense and Asami wanted more. Craved more, even, as the stressors of life were difficult and she had no one to talk to. Physical release just wasn't enough anymore. She began talking, showering some of her problems or just general life things over Kuvira, who was nice enough to just let her talk at first, so long as she got her fill in the end. At some point, the woman got tired of it though, telling Asami that she really didn't give a shit about her life and the only reason she was there was for the goods. Even in knowing that was the case the entire time, should couldn't help but feel hurt and humiliated. Needless to say, it ended there, but not without Asami spending a significant amount of time scolding herself for allowing the one thing she'd sworn to refuse: to be used.

The kicker of her habit of being taken advantage of was when she was an undergraduate at university. She'd always been someone that people paid attention to, but she rarely paid attention to them, always keeping her head down and to herself. One guy in one of her classes caught her eye though, and she seemed to catch his. He was tall, dark and handsome, the epitome of a perfect man. His features were rugged and his presence was alluring. Iroh was gentle and timid in the beginning. His attention was entirely focused on her and she loved it. She loved him. For almost a year, they were the picture of a perfect couple, the whisperings of a future marriage flooding the campus grounds. When they were behind closed doors though, things were different. He was aggressive, dirty, and uncaring. The soft caresses he shared with her in public became bruise-forming grips in private. He rarely finished her off, taking what he wanted, his climax, and then rolling over to let her top it off on her own. She'd feel spent though, her arms and legs having been twisted in ways that were uncomfortable, her throat sometimes struggling for air as he held it tight in his vendetta for what was supposed to be passion. She let him though, because she loved him, or so she thought; at least, the public version of him. It went to far, eventually, her turning to him and refusing what he wanted, saying that she wasn't in love with him anymore and she was leaving. That didn't go over well, and instead, he took it. He took it and it was awful, morbid even, the way he tossed her around like a toy to be had. That was the beginning, and she said she'd never be used again once she was finally able to sneak away.

* * *

Korra wasn't one of those people, and she knew it. But, the secrets were too much. She couldn't sit idly by and let another person hold her hostage, regardless of how good it felt. She wanted more, wanted if from Korra, but she was refusing her. So, Asami refused in return and ran. Like a coward, she ran away from something that had the potential to be amazing, all because she couldn't get over the fact that the woman wasn't ready to open up to her yet. '_Would she eventually, though? Would Korra come around later and talk to me?_' It was a question that, at this point, seemed as though it would never be answered.

A knock at the door stirred her from her thoughts, one of the receptions walking in as she called for them to come in. "There's a visitor for you, Ms. Sato."

"Oh? I don't have anyone on my schedule until after lunch."

"He says that he doesn't have an appointment… and that he came from a garage."

That peaked her interest. There's only one person she knew from there that would even consider coming to visit her. "You may let him in, and please close the door."

"Yes ma'am," and the woman stepped to the side, signaling the young man to enter, then closing the door behind him.

A bright smile and wide stretched arms moved in to grasp around Asami's delicate frame and she stood and moved around her desk. "ASMAI! It's so good to see you! Fancy seeing you here," he expressed joyfully, releasing her after a moment so that she could breathe once again.

She laughed at the comment. "Bolin, I work here."

"Oh, right. Well, fancy seeing me here!" He shot two thumbs towards his puffed out chest, exclaiming his presence.

"Yes, fancy seeing you here," she began, her smile turning to a look of confusion. "What exactly are you doing here, anyway?"

"A little birdie told me you don't like to eat," he stated as he pulled a backpack off his back, set it on a chair and pulled out a bag of food. "So, I brought you lunch!" He looked exceedingly proud of himself.

Placing a hand on her hip and cocking an eyebrow, she asked, "And who might this birdie be?"

Bolin's expression shifted to one of him not having planned to be asked that. "Umm – a big birdie? That is, bigger than a normal bird. They're kind of small. Yeah, this bird is definitely bigger."

Shaking her head at the ridiculous response, Asami loosened up and moved to pick up the papers off her desk and signaled Bolin to sit. "Alright, fine. We have to make it quick though, I have meetings this afternoon."

He waved her off. "You've got over two hours. I may or may not have peeked at your schedule on that nice lady's desk."

"That doesn't mean I don't have other things to do, you know." Sitting down herself, she grabbed one of the containers that Bolin had pulled from the bag and opened it up. She recognized the sandwich immediately, as she'd been eating them for dinner almost every day for the last couple weeks. Looking from the sandwich to Bolin, who now had a very 'oops' looking expression, she started again. "A little birdie, hmm?"

Mid-bite, Bolin sighed. His teeth retracted from his lunch, the bottom of his lips sticking out in a pout as he put the food down and folded his hands in front of him. He looked at the delicious sandwich then back to Asami and sighed again. "She's hardly moved from that spot."

"What spot?"

"That spot she sits in by the bay door. Yesterday, she fell asleep there with a cold cup of coffee still in her hands. When I tried to ask what she was doing, the only response I got was that she was waiting." He looked at his lunch once more, then down at his hands. "I haven't seen her like this… like, ever. Not even when –" He cut himself off, picking up the meal again and shoving it in his mouth.

"When what?"

"Maidooftnoohw–"

Asami furrowed her brows. "Chew and speak, Bolin. Don't choke yourself."

He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Muftidofthaffamyfingwefttofay."

Growling slightly under her breath in irritation, she moved to her own meal, a stomach rumble indicating that she was, in fact, hungry. About ten minutes later, they finished up their meals, not having said another word, until Asami tried to break the silence. "What wer–"

"I need to show you something," Bolin cut in, not allowing her to continue. "Let's take a drive." He stood up and threw their trash into a garbage bin on the side of Asami's desk. Looking up at her confused and obviously annoyed expression, he slouched his shoulders and gave the worst begging grin she'd ever seen. "Please?"

Asami closed her eyes and let the wave of frustration roll off. "Fine," she started, much calmer. "But only if you give me at least some sort of indication about what's going on with Korra."

"I can't give you the details, but I can at least show you something that is important." He reached his hand out in a friendly gesture for her to take. "Come on, you'll want to see this."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I come bearing gifts! It's not quite what you all want, but it'll make sense soon, I promise. This one is heavy dialogue, but you'll like the new character entries. Happy reading!

* * *

CHAPTER 9

"Bolin… Where are we?" Asami was exceedingly confused. The direction's her animated friend had given her took them into the ghettos of the city. All around them were run down buildings with boards over the windows, people sitting on various stoops and ledges in worn clothing and solemn looks on their faces, and raggedy animals digging through trash cans. Several times they witnessed fights breaking out over who knows what. The sight was something she'd seen many times before, but it wasn't a place that she generally frequented on her own.

"Welcome to the 'Slums'," he stated flatly. "This is where the poorest people in the city live. Lower class, criminals, elderly, children, multi-national… It doesn't matter down here. Everyone is stuck with very few means to get out."

She looked around, taking in more of the scene as she drove slowly. Children ran around playing with makeshift toys, mothers hung clothes on lines stretched out between buildings, homeless folks crawled out of cardboard shelters… It was difficult to see, knowing that she never had to struggle like that. Asami had tried to be a part of the movement to clean the Slums up at one point, having made her way to a few soup kitchens to volunteer. However, one night, as she was walking to her car, she had been mugged by a group from a local gang. She'd been beaten pretty severely, which was something she could handle, but what prevented her from coming back was that they recognized her and threatened to come after her father if she returned to the area. That had been some time ago, but even now, she was nervous to show her face.

"What's wrong?" The woman looked to her friend as he stared at her, noticing that she had zoned out.

"Nothing, I just –" she paused and sighed. "I've been down here before. A few times, actually, trying to make things better. I didn't go well."

Surprised, Bolin asked, "What? Really? I didn't peg you for the type."

"No one ever does," she responded, slightly irritated.

"Ah, sorry! That's not how I meant it." He shook his head trying to wave off his blunder. "I meant that you seem like you're so busy all the time that you wouldn't have a chance to come down this way."

She shrugged. "There's some truth to that, but I really do care about this city. I became a lawyer for other reasons besides taking over for my father one day. I want to be able to help clean up the city, make it better."

"Intersting…" Bolin trailed off as he looked out the window. "Take a right up there into the alleyway," he stated, pointing towards a turn just past a small stop shop. The alley went a ways until it came to a dead end. "You can park at the end along the wall."

"Um – before I step out into a place I'm obviously not familiar with, can you tell me what we're doing here?" She stopped the car and killed the engine, her hand resting on the door handle.

"Don't worry," he began as he opened the door and climbed out, turning then to lean his head in as he held onto the roof and door. "I promise it's safe. I have some people I want you to meet."

"I thought we were here for you to show me something?"

"We are! But that something comes with people, as well. It all ties together. You may not understand at first, but you will, in time." He stepped back and closed the door, waving his arm and yelling, "Come on!"

Hesitantly, she stepped out of the vehicle and locked the doors. Walking around, she asked, "What is this place?" There was a sign above a pale blue door, which looked freshly painted, donning the name '_The Lower Clinic_'.

Bolin didn't answer, and instead opened the door to reveal a small reception desk and sitting area that was packed with people. Mothers held their babies on their laps and children played on the floor. Some coughed, others had makeshift crutches. One little boy has bandages wrapped around his head and eye. A smaller framed woman with short black hair was behind the desk, moving papers around and hurriedly gathering small pieces of equipment in a basket.

"Opal!" Bolin exclaimed excitedly. The woman looked up, bright green eyes shining from the lights above and a gleaming smile growing across her face.

"Hi, Bo." She greeted. "What brings you here? Usually you're only here on the weekends."

"Yeah, well, I brought someone with me so I could show her the place."

Green locked on green, as the two women looked at each other, Opal just the noticing Asami's presence. After a moment, her attention snapped back to Bolin, who was holding a goofy grin on his face. "Bo! What are you doing?! You know this place has to stay quiet!"

Asami stepped forward, cutting in quickly. "I won't tell anyone," she started. "I don't even know what there is to tell, but Bolin said it was important to see this place, and I don't even know why. But, I can guarantee you that I know how to keep a secret."

Opal studied her for a moment, obviously debating whether to trust her or not. "Who are you?"

"My name is Asami Sato."

The young woman's eyes widened, recognizing the name immediately. She looked back at the now sheepish looking man attempting to hide behind a few patrons. Looking back, she began once again, "You realize that your father isn't exactly a favorite to those who live in the Slums, right?"

The raven-haired woman looked downcast at the comment. "Unfortunately, I'm aware. He ruined a lot of people's lives for money, and now he's in jail, living out his punishment for his crimes." She attempted to compose herself, straightening up and looking into the other woman's eyes determinedly. "I'm not like him though. I want to do more for this city, but I can't until my father's shadow over me is gone." She took another step forward, placing her hands on the desk. "Look, I don't know why Bolin brought me here, but if it has something to do with Korra then –"

She was cut off immediately at the name. "You know Korra?!"

Stunned, Asami stepped back. "Um – Yes. I assume that's why I'm here."

Two sets of eyes turned to Bolin, his attempt to remain hidden failing miserably as he stepped out from behind an older woman. He coughed and cleared his throat. "Uggh-hugghhh… Yeah. I, uh – huuggh. Yes?" He rose his hands in front of his chest and tapped thick fingers against each other nervously. "I thought this would help her to understand."

Once again, Opal's attention snapped back to the frail woman in front of her. "Wait, are you bay #5?"

Confused, Asami looked at her with a cocked brow. "Are you referring to the garage? In which case, I guess so?"

Supposedly understanding something that Asami was at a complete loss to, Opal turned on her heel and glanced back briefly, stating, "Follow me, then!"

Asami and Bolin followed Opal through a set of doors and down a hallway. Each room door was closed, but voices could be heard from behind them. Some had people chatting, another was a woman crying, and the last, before walking through a set of double doors, bore a child yelling "Mommy, wake up!"

Once through the doors, a bright light shone in Asami's eye, causing her to squint as she waited for her vision to clear. Upon dulling, the scene before her was… indescribable. A large room, with what seemed like hundreds of occupants, was set before her. Beds were scattered everywhere, a few riddled with patients sleeping while others had one or multiple sitting upon its mattress. Nurses ran around from spot to spot, speaking with patients, taking care to wounds, distributing medication and accomplishing check ups as necessary. Various levels of disease and injury floated across the crowd. Many people were dirty, their clothes ragged and look unwashed. It was a hospital… or, it would be, if it were taken care of as such.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Opal began again, seeing the look of shock on the ivory woman's face. "This is where people without means to get typical treatment come, for various reasons. Either they don't have money, they don't have protection, or their have ailments that others won't touch." She walked forward, grabbing a couple of utensils from a table. "Our supplies our limited, and so ability to do such much for these people are limited. We have to turn many people away because we can't do enough."

Asami's eyes scanned the room as she listed, eventually landing again on the saddened girl holding an assortment of supplies poorly. "What happens to the ones you turn away? How do you pay for all of this?"

"The city gives us a small stipend to run this little clinic, but my brother seeks donations for… other means." The voice came from a new person to their little party and the raven-haired woman turns her attention to it. An older woman, darker skin with longer silver hair spoke once more. "Sorry, I don't mean to just cut in. My name is Kya. I'm the lead nurse here." She stuck out a hand in greeting, which a slender hand took graciously.

"Asami."

"I know who you are, doll." A sly, yet comforting, smile danced across the woman's lips. "I pay close attention to what happens throughout the city. I'm surprised you're hear, seeing as you've been warned to vacate."

Emerald eyes widen and eyebrows shoot towards the sky. "How do you know about that?!"

Bolin cut in, seemingly out of nowhere. "What?! You were told to stay away from the slums? Why didn't you say something before we came down here?"

Asami turned to look at his terrified and apologetic expression. "It's fine, Bolin. I didn't know where we were going, and by the time we were down here, it didn't make sense to turn back."

"Not much scares you, does it, Ms. Sato?"

She turned again to look back at the older woman. "I've dealt with worse than a few muggers and idle threats."

"I wouldn't exactly call them idle, but I'm impressed by your reluctance to let them get to you."

Asami gazed around the room again, taking in the sights as she sighed. "Unfortunately, I did let them get to me. I haven't been back here since then. But, not because I was afraid of them harming me, but because I was afraid of them hurting my father." She paused for a moment before bringing her stare back to Kya. "I didn't know what he was doing at the time."

"It's alright, dear. None of us hold that against you in this place," Kya stated, reaching a hand out to place on the girl's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze in the process.

Opal chimed into the conversation again, changing the topic. "Kya, do you happen to know where Katara is?"

"Who is Katara?" Asami asked.

"She's only the best damn doctor on the planet!" Bolin cut in again. He was obviously getting antsy that no one was paying attention to him. "Well, except for –"

"BOLIN!" Opal yelled.

"What?" the burly man questioned as he shrugged his shoulder. "She's going to find ou–"

"BOLIN! SERIOUSLY! You need to stop talking!" He quickly shrank under the little woman's glare, backing away towards a wall, whistling to himself as if he'd never been in the conversation at all. Turning back to Asami, she continued what she was going to say before her friend had cut her off. "Katara is the primary, and only, doctor for the clinic. She overseas everything. This place wouldn't even be here if not for her."

Kya stepped in once more. "And, unfortunately, she's not here at the moment. She's seeing to a few patients elsewhere, today." For a split second, Kya and Opal locked eyes, seemingly having a silent conversation of their own.

"I'm sorry but, I still don't understand why Bolin brought me here," Asami quizzically stated.

All three women looked back towards Bolin, who was still leaning against the wall uncomfortably. "I – well… You see, I thought, or, was thinking… I'm not sure if this is a past or present thing? Um –"

"Oh, just spit it out, sweetie," Opal stated in an irritated and endearing tone. Asami chuckled, finally piecing together their intriguing tension.

"I thought that maybe she could help us… you know. Make things more manageable."

"You want my help here?" Asami asked, confused by his intentions.

"Or with other endeavors…"

Another glare shot from fierce jade eyes towards the broad man that quivered under her stare. "Surely Asami has better things to do than hang around a disease infested clinic in the Slums."

"Not necessarily," the lawyer spoke up once more. "I was spending what little spare time I had at the garage, but seeing as Korra doesn't want to talk to me, I haven't exactly gone back. That leaves me with a bit of time that I'd prefer not to be taken up at the office to do other things."

Kya sighed at the comment. "You should go back, dear. I'm sure she'd like to see you."

Asami put up her hands and shook her head. "Okay, you're all seriously confusing me." She looked to Opal first. "How do you know I was from the garage?" Then she turned to look at Kya. "And, how do you know Korra wants to see me?" Lastly, she looked at Bolin. "And, why are you being so cryptic?" The confusion at the situation had begun to boil into anger.

"You'll understand soon enough," Kya responded in kind. "Right now, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that there's someone waiting for you at the garage, and I can tell you miss her by how agitated you are at the moment."

Utterly fuming at this point, Asami threw her hands up once more before they came falling down at her sides in a huff. "Now you're all being cryptic! And I don't miss Korra; I barely know her."

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Bolin noticed the time and decided it was time to go. "Asami, we should probably head out if you want to make it back for your meetings."

Realizing he was right, she agreed. "Alright. Well," she looked at the others, "it was nice to meet you both. I'm sure I'll be back again."

They all said their goodbyes and Bolin and Asami were back in the car, heading towards the firm. The two remained silent for some time, neither sure of what to say. Eventually, the brilliant woman's curiosity got the better of her. "I still don't understand what that place has to do with Korra. You told me you'd tell me what was going on with her."

Maintaining his gaze out the window, Bolin shrugged at the question. "It has everything to do with Korra, you just don't have all the pieces that put it together yet."

"So give me the pieces."

"I already told you I can't; that's Korra's choice. But, to get them, you have to go back."

She studied him from her peripherals for a moment, trying to gauge his intentions. "You planned this to get me to go see her, didn't you?"

He finally looked over, a stupid grin showing off a set of pearly whites. "Maaaayyybe! Is it working?"

She groaned at him for using her curiosity against her. "Yes… But I'm mad at you! This was completely unnecessary."

"Wrong. It was entirely necessary."

* * *

A/N: Quick reminder - I mentioned multiple huts behind the garage. Keep that in mind.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: For those who were hoping for a big reveal this chapter... Well, I got you this MINI REVEAL! Wooo! High fives all around? No? Aw, maybe next time...

Sidenote: I have no plan for this story. None of this was plotted out. Literally, the story is taking me where it wants to go based on the general ideas I have for a plot. But, even if I start writing a chapter one way, it often changes as I write, because that's what it tells me to do. So, I follow it. Unfortunately, this means that there will sometimes be a detail or two that doesn't match up right away, but I promise, I'll tie it all together as I go along. Subtle hints often become bigger hints, and it's fun like that ;). Enjoy!

Oh! And a HUGE thank you to Jazzii for making some fabulous fanart for this fic! You can find it on facebook at /jazziiart

* * *

CHAPTER 10

The dirt kicked up under the tires and she made her way down the path. It was late, but Bolin had been right; the only way she could find out what was going on with Korra was to give her the chance to explain it herself. Plus, she missed her time at the garage, so there's that.

While pulling into the lot, she saw a familiar sight. A beautiful caramel woman in sweatpants and tank top was sitting on the ground, slumped over to the side as her head lulled against the wall. '_Okay, that's just impossibly adorable_' Asami thought to herself as she scanned over the girl while pulling into the bay. The door had been left open, of course, so she glided the vehicle right in.

She stepped out of the car and walked over to the girl, who must have been in a deep sleep because the sound of an engine passing by hadn't made her stir in the slightest. Even in sleep, her features were beautiful. She looked peaceful, content, but with a little line between her eyebrows, likely indicating that she was thinking about something when she drifted off. There was a slight drool spilling from the corner of her parted lips, which made Asami laugh a little. It was too stinkin' cute.

The usual bag of deliciousness was on the ground, a death grip clinging to the top. Asami crouched down and brushed a few fingers across the vice grip. "Korra?" Her voice was soft before speaking a bit louder, attempting to wake the girl, but also wanting to let her sleep at the time time. "Korra?" The girl didn't move. Being closer to her face, the lawyer's perceptiveness finally noticed the bags under the woman's eyes. '_She's not sleeping… I should let her rest._

Slowly, she pried the bag from the hand holding it, taking special care not to wake the woman. Once freed, she stands, opens it and looks inside. A sticky note could be seen and she reaches in to pull it out. The words hit her like a ton of bricks.

_I always keep my promises._

Asami's hand dropped and she cocked her head, looking down at the woman and giving a soft smile. Stepping over the legs that were stretched out across the ground, she settled down next to her and leaned against the wall, carefully wedging her shoulder under the slumped head. Opening up the bag once more, she took out the sandwich and fruit and began to eat while looking out at the dusk ridden sky.

The purple overcast above the tree line transitioning into a darker blue with small orbs glowing high in the sky was absolutely beautiful, but now as much so as the girl next to her. She stole glances to her right as she ate, watching the full chest rise and fall steadily with every breath. A little tan nose scrunched up and a hand moved to brush at it. Asami laughed, absolutely smitten at the adorable unconscious gesture.

Suddenly, a little snort escaped and the head on her shoulder rolled off and lunged upward. Wide eyes looked all around, trying to grab some sense of clarity. She looked at Asami, a stunned expression planting itself on her face. "Uh – Hi?"

Crimson lips curled into a smile. "Hi." She raised her food in an offering gesture. "Hungry?"

Blue eyes shifted to the meal held in front of her, then back to the emerald orbs locked onto her. She grabbed the sandwich and leaned back into the wall, shifting once again to look at the sky. Asami leaned back and looked out as well, a comfortable silence blanketing over the two as they passed the clumsily wrapped food back and forth.

Once finished, the trashed was crumpled into a ball, which Korra proceeded to toss into a trashcan a few feet way, but missed. "Damn… poor shot."

Asami giggled. "It was a good attempt, at least."

She shrugged. "Oh well." Blue eyes turned and met emerald once more, holding for a few moments. "I waited."

A warm smile responded in kind. "I see that." Asami held up the post-it. "I got your note." Korra nodded and looked away. "I'm sorry, you know."

Chocolate locks whipped in the air as she snapped back to attention. "What? You have nothing to be sorry for! If anyone should be sorry, it's me."

Shadowed eyes closed and onyx hair shook. "No, I shouldn't have pushed you. I let previous experiences get the better of me and I ran away. I disappointed you and I didn't mean to."

Tanned fingers grazed under her chin, enticing her eyes to open. "You could never, ever, disappoint me. It's my fault. I should have just been honest but…" Her words drifted off as shoulders tensed and her hand pulled back before clenching in a fist and dropping to her knee. "It's not just about me, Asami. Other people can be… affected. It's not that I don't trust you, I –"

"Hey…" Long fingers grasped the clenched hand soothingly, which melted into the touch, fingers slowly intertwining. "You don't have to tell me. It's not my business, especially if other people are involved. Just know that, whatever it is, I'm not going to judge you, and you can talk to me about anything… when you're ready."

Korra breathed in and out deeply, her head bowing to place her forehead on Asami's shoulder. "I don't know what it is about you," she began, speaking into the woman's arm. "I've never felt like this before. Every time I see you, I just want to tell you about all the things that weigh me down." Soft lips kissed the top on the woman's head and held steady there, breathing in the scent of sweat and lavender. "I was so… entranced, the day you arrived. You were so gorgeous and so sure. I was almost jealous, until something clicked, and instead I told myself that instead of wanting to _be_ you, I wanted to _have_ you." Fingers from a free hand moved to cling to the arm she spoke into. "And, oh goodness, did I want you."

Asami's free hand graced the side of a tanned cheek with a soft touch, her thumb tapping underneath the chin, requesting the head to lift from its resting place. As it did, her lips darted into dark, luscious ones that instantly kissed her back delicately. The kiss held for an infinite time, both women breathing in deeply though their noses, their eyes closing, and heads tilting. If the spark could be seen it'd be like fireworks taking off into the night sky.

They pulled back, foreheads pressing to one another. "I want you, too," Asami breathed out heavily. The body beside her pulled away entirely, swiftly jumping up and bending down to scoop the other woman up in strong arms. Like lightening, they sped towards the bay, Asami landing on the trunk of her car, never having a chance to collect her thoughts about what was happening, even as hungry lips crashed into hers again.

Tongues sprang from their enclosures and wrapped themselves in one another. Rough hands spread a pair of knees apart so that hips could settle between them, bringing the bodies closer in their entirely. Hands roamed and faces meshed, the body on the trunk scooting closer to the edge as thighs wrapped around a sturdy waist. Fingers tangled in hair, clang to necks and scratched against skin. It was hot and fast, each woman melting into the other.

Excited hands of the woman standing released their grip, her upper body tearing itself from the embrace as she leaned back. One hand reached up and began to play with a sensitive earlobe. The two looked at each other and smiled. Nimble fingers danced around athletic biceps, enticing the tanned woman to flex, causing both to laugh, their smiles growing even more as they gazed into one another's stare.

"Not like this," Korra started. "This isn't how I pictured it. And, if it happens, I want to do it right. I want to give you everything, because that's what you deserve."

The lawyer smiled brightly and leaned in, stealing another soft kiss. She looked determinedly into the other woman's eyes, trying to gauge what was going through her mind. "I don't need everything, Korra. I just need… something. Something that I can hold on to, that tells me that this is more that what that little, pessimistic voice in the back of my head tells me it is."

Korra nodded in understanding. "Okay." She stepped back and offered a hand, helping the beautiful woman down from her gigantic, mentally fabricated pedestal. "I think there's at least one thing I can share with you." Their hands remained held and Korra began to pull them towards the door to the back of the garage.

They stepped outside and walked across the lawn to the last hut. A lock was on the door and the caramel beauty pulled a set of keys from her pocket, releasing the hand encased in hers in the process. As she unhinged the metal clasp, she tuned back once more, looking into the serene face of the woman by her side.

"I'm more than this place. Much more. But, I faltered a few times in the past, and now I'm trying to make up for it while still doing what I think is right to help anyone I can. Do you understand?" she asked pensively at the end, worry etched across her face. An amiable smile and squeeze on her shoulder from a hand that reached out to her reassured her that it was okay. She nodded and moved to open the door.

As they stepped in, a light switch was flipped and florescent bulbs began fluttering to life. There were books and papers stacked and strewn across multiple desks. A table in the center was covered in notebooks and diagrams, even a few large models. A bed was in the corner with dusty sheets that looked as though they hadn't been touched in some time. There was broken glass on the floor and shreds of paper tossed about. Several lamps were knocked over with their bulbs broken and cords ripped from the wall. Several billboards and white boards hung off the wall, one showing the scribbled word _FAILURE_.

Korra walked around the room, kicking some of the glass and running her fingers through a layer of dust on one of the desks. She looked deep in thought, her brows furrowed and edges of her lips pointed down. Her stature looked stiff and defeated, her chest still as she obviously held her breath as she took in the room, likely reliving the memory of when the room was torn to shreds.

Asami took a few steps in, placing her palms on the center table and looking around the hut before returning her attention to the girl she was with, who was showing signs of internal distress. "Was this yours?" she asked lightly, trying to avoid forcing any kind of pressure to answer the question.

The woman froze in place, apparently realizing that she wasn't the only one in the room. While staring at the floor, she spoke up. "It was. I lived here."

Asami reeled back for a moment, confused at the statement. "I thought you lived in the gym?"

"I do. But, I live here first, several years ago." She paused and walked towards the bed, eventually sitting down and leaning her elbows on her knees. Her head lowered into her hands, her fingers rubbing against her temples. "I rented this hut from the garage's previous owner. I was going to school and didn't have much money, so I wasn't able to afford living in the city. He basically let me live here for free, so long as I helped with basic tune-ups and what not. That's how I learned that poor excuse of a basics conversation that I gave you on the day we met." She chuckled at the thought. "I was an awful so-called apprentice, but I tried, and he didn't seem to mind."

Asami moved around the table, leaning against it on the other side, crossing her arms and legs in the process. "What were you going to school for?"

A sad expression rode to look at the woman. "Isn't it obvious? I was a medical student." Her gaze returned to the floor. "I wanted to be a doctor my entire life." She shook her head. "That's not right. I mean – I wanted to help people my entire life, and being in the medical field seemed like the way to go. I even had the perfect mentor."

"Who was that?" Asami asked out of curiosity.

"Her name was Katara."

The name rang an instant bell, having heard it earlier that day. '_So Bolin meant what he said. There is a connection…_'

"She taught me so much, about the logistics and anatomy of the human body, about compassion for people, about healing in general. It became my ultimate calling, and I excelled at it. Everything I was had been poured into learning everything I could so that I could take care of anyone who needed it." Water fought to cascade around the edged of her lids, and the sight broke Asami's heart. "But, it was stripped away, and I was… broken." Tears washed over the barriers that held them back, emotions overwhelming her ability to hold back anymore.

In a couple quick strides, slender arms made their way to the tear-ridden woman, wrapping around her comfortingly as a few whispers of "shhh" were lulled in her ear. A gentle hand stroked down soft hair and a muscled back, all the while tense hands wrapped around a pearly forearm and sobs were let go into a reassuring shoulder. They stayed that way for some time, letting the shakes of sadness subside on their own.

Once the sobs stopped and the girl calmed down amidst the soothing rocking of Asami's embrace, the raven-haired woman spoke up once more. "Why don't you come stay with me tonight?"

A puffy face disentangled itself and looked into concerned jade irises with absolute conviction. "I can't do that. I'm fine here on my own. And, I wouldn't want to give you the wro–"

"You wouldn't be giving me the wrong idea," she cut in quickly. "That cot of yours is uncomfortable. I know, I've slept on it. And this this…" She bounced for a moment on the spring mattress. "This can't be good for anyone's back."

Distraught eyes admired the cheerful smile being tossed her way. "Really, I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking," the woman stated matter-of-factly. "I'm inviting. And I'm only inviting to sleep, that's it." She stood up in front of the downtrodden woman, grabbing under her arms to help lift her to her feet then grabbing a still slightly shaky hand in hers. "Come on."

They walked out and Korra locked the door behind them. After pulling the car from the bay, the two locked up shop and then went on their way into the city. The caramel woman watched her companion drive almost the entire way, just silently staring, reveling in the woman beside her. Jade irises occasionally stole glances when her eyes teased away from the road, a small smile permanently fixating itself throughout the ride.

About twenty minutes in, they finally pulled into the underground parking garage of a large apartment building in the financial district of downtown. The two walked side by side into the elevator, riding it to the main floor before switching to another elevator, Asami quickly shooting off a couple of greetings to the security guards. Rising up in the lift, their hands somehow managed to find themselves once again, and a bell dinged upon their arrival on the top floor. Exiting, complete awe struck the previously upset woman as she took in her surrounding.

The penthouse suite was absolutely stunning. Everything looked as though it was new with a heavy coat of shine covering each little detail. The theme was modern contemporary, and colors were an elegant mixture of dark and bold. Large windows lined the outside walls giving a spectacular view of the city from above. The large room was clean and organized, as if no one even lived there. The only exception being the kitchen area of the vast open concept, it being covered with swarms of take out boxes, wine bottles and coffee cups.

"I'm sorry for the mess," Asami stated quickly as she began picking up the empties and tossing them into a trash bin. "I swear, I'm not usually this messy."

Korra laughed loudly and moved to assist in the clean up. "You call this a mess? Did you not see the room I showed you earlier?" The two glanced at each other for a moment tensely. "But, I see why you enjoy my little lunches so much. When was the last time you had a real home-cooked meal?"

Pointed shoulders shrugged at the comment. "Never? Or at least, I wouldn't even be able to tell you, because I can't remember the last time I did."

"You really should take better care of yourself…" she trailed off, coughing lightly at the end.

The slender form turned to the woman, aggressiveness in her features. "And what about you, Korra? Who takes care of you?" she asked, a little louder than intended.

"I take care of myself just fine," she stated in returned.

"Really?" Asami asked with a sarcastic undertone. "I saw how upset you were when you were talking to Aang, the day I found you huddled up on the floor. And I see how sad your eyes look when you return from spirits knows where. I also see how you cling to me when we're together, like I'm the last person in the world who could ever give you any comfort."

Reddened checks over dark skin turn away before releasing words with a hint of guilt. "I'm sorry if I'm too forward."

Asami stepped toward the woman, their fronts just lightly touching. She moved her hands down strong arms then clasping against limp fingers, bringing the woman's hands up to her chest. "You're not too forward. In fact, I like it." She squeezed a little tighter. "I told you we'll talk about it when you're ready. But in the meantime," she paused, bringing the hands up to her lips as she pressed soft kisses against them, "let me take care of you, like you do for me. You showed me a part of you today, something personal, which is more than anyone has ever done." More kisses pressed against the small hands. "That's enough for me. I trust you, and I want you to trust me."

"Asami…" was all the woman managed to get out, stressed and strangled as the weight of the words bore down on her.

"I want to hold you tonight," she continued. "I want to lay against you and share my warmth with you. I want to paint idle circle across your skin with my fingertips as you drift to sleep in my arms. Is that okay?"

This time, the solemn business owner brought the ivory hands to her own lips, closing her eyes and lingering at the touch. Opening her lids to look back into those brilliantly rich green spheres that shine brighter than anything she'd every seen, she whispered, "sounds perfect."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Story pause. Bring on the fluff. Because, well, its relevant. And it's korrasami.

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CHAPTER 11

Eyes opened to the blinding light of morning rays creeping through a break in the curtains. Typically, it wouldn't be a problem, because most mornings Asami was awake long before the sun came up. Instead, she had turned off her alarms so no to be woken up by that deafening beeping that made her want to chuck her clock across the room. Instead, as well, she was woken up to the sound of a loud, gurgling snore.

She raised her head slightly to look at where the noise had come from. Korra's gorgeous noggin was tucked just barely under hers, her chin likely able to touch the top of the adorably short hairdo if she stretched her neck out. The well chiseled form of the woman's back pressed hard against her chest and abdomen, and soft, curved rear laid flush against her thigh that rested on the mattress, the other having been splayed protectively over a hip, pulling the body to rest more thoroughly against her own. One arm was being used as a pillow underneath the snoring head, and the other was curled between a ribcage and bicep, arm stretched outward to where dark and light extremities had remained entangled throughout the night. She smiled.

Laying her head back down, she thought of the night before. Once their sleeping arrangement was agreed upon, both women and relaxed tremendously. Asami had taken out a heavenly bottle of red wine, one that held subtle notes of coffee and tobacco over a flourishing taste of dried cherries and woody appeal. It was one of her favorites, which she'd saved for a special occasion. Spending the first night together with the young woman she'd been sharing tensions with for some time seemed like the perfect time for it, even if their nightly arrangement wasn't going to go anywhere. If anything, it added to the intimacy of it all, and she was savoring every drop of it that she could.

A fire had been lit in the fireplace of her spacious living space. Discarding the idea of relaxing on the couch, Korra had chosen to pick up a few blankets from a wicker basket off to the side and making space for them in front of the flames, accenting it with throw pillows that adorned the room in various locations. She'd dimmed the lights, the glow of the city through the windows and the light of the fire being the primary luminous sources. Without a hitch, she moved about the apartment like she lived there. She took off her shoes, then, with permission as Asami sat down, she slowly removed her boots as well, placing them neatly by the door before setting herself.

The two shared the bottle of wine, casually engaging in stories about the suits around the office and men fumbling with engine parts at the garage. They laughed and drank sitting across from each other, Korra cross-legged with Asami's feet from her stretched out legs in her lap. Active fingers rubbed the tension from her toes to her ankles, occasionally making their way up her calf before returning to sore heels.

Mid-sentence, Asami had stretched one of her legs, only to hiss slightly as a shooting pain pierced through her leg. "Agghh! Damn charlie horse…"

Korra looked up at her with large puppy dog eyes. "You know, I could rub it out for you more effectively if you took these off." She signaled to her maroon colored skinny jeans.

"Korra, we're not –" She was cut off before she could continue.

"I know; I'm just talking about a massage. That's all."

The raven-haired woman thought for a moment before agreeing to the idea. "Alright," and she stood up to remove the clothes. Looking directly into crystal clear blue irises, she unfastened the button and pulled down the zipper. Her black-laced panties could be seen peaking through as her thumbs dug into the waist, slowly circling around to the back and pushing down on the fabric, bringing it beyond the curve of her rear. Thumps slid again to the outer sides of her thighs, pushing down once more. While remaining straight legged and bending at the waist, her eyes remain locked on the others, Korra following her face as it lower, never once straying elsewhere.

Once the fabric was past her knees, she crouched down, taking a seat, and placing her arms behind her, palms down the floor. She raised her legs, still bound together by her jeans, placing her ankles to hover just over the caramel women's shoulder by her ear. Eyes still maintaining their hold, her red lips curled up in a smirk, a short hesitation before asking, "do you mind?"

Two hands placed themselves under her thighs, fingers pressed to the outside, thumbs pressed to the inside. They gradually glided past her knees and down her calves, making their way to their requested destination. Upon contact, fingers slid between skin and fabric, gently tugging the bundle over her heels and off entirely. A maroon haze was seen in their peripherals, being tossed away as jade remained on azure.

Hands once again made contact with the skin of her ankles. For just a brief moment, tanned lids closed and its head turned. Lips were pressed against her pale skin, causing the entirety of her body to flush in a light share of pink as it heated up all over. It held only for a moment, before azure was on jade again, as though nothing ever happened. The grip on her ankles tightened, and carefully they directed her legs to bend at the knee to be brought in front of the woman. At first, Asami thought Korra was going to place her feet in her lap again, but suddenly her legs spread and she was pulled closer, one leg to each side of the woman's hips, then thighs were laid atop of thighs. In the process, her hands had slipped, causing her back to lie on the floor. Her breath hitched at the sudden movements, then hitched again when both hands returned to a single leg, massaging into the skin fabulously. She lifted her head to gain eye contact again, only to notice a cheesy, toothy grin being tossed her way.

"Is this okay?" Korra asked, concern in her voice, but her eyes stating otherwise.

Asami rested her head and closed her eyes, taking in and releasing a deep breath. Her arms laid stretched to her sides, fingers digging into the blankets as she relished in the feeling of her muscles relaxing under experienced pressure. "Yeah – This is nice," she finally breathed out.

Korra chuckled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to catch you off guard, but I didn't think you'd move closed unless I forced you."

"Mmhmm."

She chuckled again. "I could go higher, if you want."

"Mmmm… Mmhmm."

Moving slowly upwards, occasionally switching between each leg, Asami deep breathing subtly transitioned to light groans. Her fingers twirled around the blankets, pulling them too her as a particularly stubborn spot was rubbed out expertly. After several minutes, she released her hold, only for her hands to move to her body, one against her abdomen, the other pressing against the side of her breast, both resting on the fabric of the light sweater she was wearing. She arched slightly, pushing her palm against her each spot, as if trying to get to the skin underneath, as the muscles along the sides of her hips loosened under such a brilliant touch.

"Asami?"

"Mmhmm."

"Asami… uh –" The foreign hands on Asami's body froze.

Emeralds eyes shot wide open and her arms moved quickly to wrap against her front in a protective measure. She hadn't realized what she was doing or how she was reacting to the touch until that moment. She lifted her head to look at the other woman, terrified that she'd crossed the line, per their agreement.

"Hey, don't freak out," Korra started. "I just wanted you to know that I was done with your legs and if… well, you wanted… I could keep going?" Her hands stayed firmly in their place, her facial features soft and warm, as if reassuring the ivory woman that everything was okay.

"I – um –" The alcohol had begun making Asami's head spin. At least, she told herself it was the alcohol, and not the fact that she was incredibly turned on. "I – yes. That would be nice… I think."

One hand lifted from her thigh and reached out, inviting her to be pulled up. She took it and was raised to a sitting position. Korra's other free hand move to her wrist, gently pulling it away from her chest. "I'm going to take your sweater off, okay?"

"Yeah, okay…" She raised her arms and fingers brushed against her sides as the clothing was stripped from her. Once gone, her arms moved again to cover her chest, the idea that she was in nothing other than her panties and bra, which was a matching black lace, suddenly made her feel extremely vulnerable.

Korra's arms wrapped around the slim waist, pulling the woman onto her lap the moment she noticed her self-confidence wavering. Light skinned forearms were the only thing separating their bodies from molding together. She tucked her head into the pale neck, breathing in and brushing her lips lightly against against the skin, skimming from the base up to the earlobe before whispering, "I'm not going to do anything." Her hands pressed up and down against the woman's back. "I just want to make you feel good and relaxed. Let me take your stress away." Forearms loosened their hold. "Let me see you… please." Arms pulled away from the confined space and hands moved to strong shoulders. "Please, Asami."

Asami was about to pull away to give a better view that was asked of her, until one arm moved from her back to under her rear and she was lifted from the ground. Arms and legs wrapped around whatever they could grab, he voice letting out a shrill squeak in surprised. In a few quick strides the two fell into a chaise lounge chair, her back pressing into the comfortable fabric and her front pressed into by the woman holding her. Quick kisses were pressed to her neck and she giggled at the ticklish feeling, squirming slightly as shivers made their way up her spine. The body upon her began to pull back and she let go.

Korra smiled perfectly down at beautiful woman below her. "I need you to flip over." She pulled herself off the lounge, allowing the woman to follow her direction.

The sounds of ruffling caught Asami's ear as she waited, resting her head on her folded arms and closing her eyes once more. After a few minutes, she could feel another body climbing over her, settling on the back of her thighs. This contact was different though, because she could feel the skin on skin, and instead of questioning it, she just smiled to herself.

"I'm going to unhook you," Korra spoke. With an approving nod from underneath a wave of darkened locks, she fumbled with the connector until the thing popped apart. "Lift up for me?" she asked, and again, Asami obliged, pulling her arms out from the shoulder straps before resting again, as Korra pulled the fabric from underneath her and tossed it away.

The feeling of knots being worked down to the bone in her back was phenomenal. Each touch was more perfect than the last, each one seemingly draining the tension from her shoulders, her arms, her neck. At some moments, the contact was light and delicate, smoothing over her skin gracefully as if combing only across the little hairs. Other times it was rough and with purpose, like the muscles under her skin could be pressed against directly with enough pressure. Regardless, it was sensational, and on more than one occasion her eyes rolled into the back of her head under closed lids. Hums of appreciation escaped, but she didn't care. The feeling of blissful and she never wanted it to end.

The woman on top of her shifted down more, and her hands roamed over her ass. It was more than a massage, it was appreciation, and she could feel the warmth radiating through each fingertip into her now very sensitive skin. Suddenly, hands cupped around the creases at the top of her leg, lifting each cheek, and kisses were pressed against each one. Asami lifted her head, pushing up on an elbow to look down behind her. Blown pupils looked up from her skin, a smile below her eyes.

"You are so incredibly beautiful…" Korra's head dipped down again, kissing the soft skin once more.

Asami could see the small of a tanned back and outline of the adjoining rear sticking up in the air. Without so much as a warning, she turned on her hip, flipping herself over, and coaxing the other woman to pull away as she moved. The laid her head against the pillowed back of the lounge and bent one leg up. The woman before her was on her knees at the edge of the chair, resting back on her heels. She was almost entirely naked, with the exception of a pair of light blue panties.

They spent a good minute or two admiring each other, eyes roaming over every curve, every bit of exposed skin. Eventually, their eyes reached one another again and Asami held out a lily-white hand, wiggling her extremities. "Come here…"

Caramel skin blanketed itself over the pearly contours of Asami's body, resting her head on a shoulder and nuzzling her face into the neck of the other woman. Arms wrapped around the slim frame from the side, breasts pressing against one another, abdomen to a curvy hip, legs wrapping around each other.

"I think you're incredibly beautiful, as well, Korra," Asami began as one hand stroked along a dark arm and the other combed through short hair. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but just your presence takes all of my stress away, and I feel like… me. Just, _Asami_… not a lawyer, not a businesswoman, not a Sato… and it's wonderful. YOU are wonderful." She kissed the woman's forehead.

Korra looked up, studying the side of Asami's face as she looked at the fingers she moved to play with within her own. The pair was enjoying the comfortable silence that fell over them, every once in a while shifting to touch a new spot on the other's body. Every once in a while they'd catch each other's eye, smiling as they did so. After what seemed like hours, Korra spoke up. "Let's go to bed. I want to cash in on that promise to hold me while I sleep." Asami nodded and the two adjusted to stand up.

Fingers intertwined as the onyx hair of the taller woman flowed down her back, leading the way to the bedroom. They both climbed in, mocha tones in the front, ivory in the back, and they wrapped around each other comfortably. Crimson lip pressed against the back of the smaller girl's neck. "Goodight, Korra." Dark lips kissed the back of a lightened hand. "Goodnight, Asami."

The night had been perfect, and remembering how wonderful it was brought the biggest smile to Asami's face. She felt giddy, elated, excited, aroused, and a multitude of other joyous feelings deep within her. Listening to the sounds of snoring only made her happier, knowing that she made the right choice to go back to the garage and talk to the young woman. She knew there was still much that she didn't know or made sense, but at that moment, she didn't care, and instead she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

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A/N: I know, this is far from what you were all expecting, likely in hopes that I'd wrap up some story lines, but this is where the story took me, and I'm happy with it. Apparently, my typing hands wanted fluff, so that's how it went, and they're deserving anyways, so it's all good.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I finished up my class on Sunday, so I was busy with my final project. Priorities, am I right? Well, I did get you this revealing new chapter! Many of you made some top notch guesses, but you won't believe how we got there. Get excited - the fun has only just begun ;).

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CHAPTER 12

Rolling over, she found a warm spot. Curling into it as the soft comfort graced her skin, a smell lingered, one that was pleasant, soapy, but with a touch of airy musk. Not one of a man, but of a woman that puts in effort to work with her body. She breathed in, filling her lungs with the aroma. It dawned on her then… the spot was empty, and Korra wasn't in the room.

She leapt out of bed and ran into the en-suite that had an almost closed door. She flung it open, hoping to find the woman there, but nothing. Turning on her heels she sprinted down the hall towards the living room. She turned the corner sharply and searched quickly with her eyes, but, again, was disappointed. The vast space looked exactly the way they'd left it the night before. Taking a few steps in, she bowed her head, making her way to the couch and collapsing on the cushions. She grabbed a thrown and hugged it, dipping face first into the fabric and groaning. _'Why would she just leave? She was just here a little while ago! How could I miss her?!_'

A semi-light tap rapped on the door in the entryway. Most days, one of the building tenants would leave a newspaper on her doorstep, only knocking if they needed help fixing something. Often times it was the boilers, which hadn't gone bad, it just needed a little more TLC than most. She always thought because the construction company settled for a lesser model than top of the line, but it wasn't for her to say one way or the other. She just helped fix it because there was nothing worse than a cold shower. Well, there hadn't been anything worse, until she woke up in an empty bed. That was definitely worse.

Another tap caused her to lift her head. "I'm sorry Kain," she yelled. "I'm too busy to help today! Just leave the paper on the floor!" The words came out somewhat raspy, but she ignored her own faltered sound and leaned again into the now leftover mascara and makeup smudged pillow.

"Um – I don't know who Kain is, but if you really want a newspaper I can go get you one. I'm sort of out of hands, though." The familiar sound rang from the other side of the door, causing Asami to jump up and rush to open the damned piece of giant wood. What was an excited smile turned to worry as blue eyes looked at her. "Are you crying?!"

"No!" Palms wiped at red and puffy eyes, signifying her lie and obvious inability to hide that she had, in fact, and unknowingly, been crying. "I – yes. I guess I am." She dropped her hands and shoulders slouched as the leaned on the doorframe. "I thought you'd left."

The younger woman returned with soft eyes and a soft smile, blushing slightly. "Well, I did, but only to get breakfast, and I didn't realize the door would lock behind me. You really need to go shopping. At least, for something other than the thousand pounds of tofu and rabbit food assortments you have in your pantry." She took a step closer, leaning up to gently rub noses before pecking the once crimson lips that were now light pink and chapped. "Can I come in now?"

Realizing she was in the way, Asami took a step back. "Oh yes! Sorry. Get in here!" She reached out and grabbed the woman by her bicep, practically causing her to fall as she yanked her inside and shut the door. "What'd you get?"

Korra walked over to the marble counter top and set a bag and tray with a couple cups down. Pulling them out of the holder, she set them on the surface and reached up to open a couple of dark cherry wood cabinets before finding the dishware she was looking for. She looked over her shoulder towards the older woman, who was leaning against the island just gazing at her. She smiled slyly. "You're going to love these, but first…" Her words trailed off as she grabbed a towel hanging from a small hook. Using the faucet, she damped a small spot and wrung it out, ridding it of any access water. She turned and walked towards Asami and signaled for her to sit on a stool. Upon doing so, she lifted her fingers under the pointed chin to get a better look at the woman's face. "Close your eyes." Emerald irises obliged and hid themselves behind dirtied lids. Gently, the towel dabbed at each one a few times and slowly pulled across the skin. Lips touched lips briefly. "There, all fixed." Eyes opened once more. "I don't want to see any more of that smudgy, sad, lonely look again, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

All she could do was nod. She had told the woman that she wanted reassurances, and she was getting them in mass quantities, it seemed. The least she could do was believe them. A smile formed and the beautifully tanned woman apparently took that as an agreement and went back to pulling out their breakfast goodies. No more then a minute later, a plate with a large, warm croissant with ham, cheese, egg, onions and light colored peppers was placed in front of her, along with a cup of steaming hot coffee.

The happy and energetic woman grabbed a stool and scooted as close as she could get to the other woman without them fighting over elbow space. She placed her own plate in front of her and started to dig in. "Mmmm…" she hummed as she chewed. "This is some of the best street breakfast in the city, and it's from a cart just a couple blocks away." Crumbs fell to the marble, and Asami stifled a small laugh.

"You really like your sandwiches, don't you?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow, looking at the girl already almost halfway through here meal.

The woman swallowed quickly and grinned brightly. "Hey, it's not my fault that it's the easiest way to get all the essentials at once. And besides, I'm pretty sure you're not going to turn down anything I bring you, especially seeing as you don't know how to feed yourself."

Asami nudged her with an elbow and chuckled at the quip. "Yeah, yeah… whatever." She turned to her own meal and began to dig in, pleasantly surprised at the sweet, salty, and cheesy warm goodness.

They ate in a happy silence, content to enjoy the few minutes of peace before they both had to move on with their day. Seeing that it was already edging towards midday, they both probably had plenty to do to make up for the loss of a few hours. Once finished, Korra cleaned up quickly and gathered her things. Asami sat there, watching the woman casually move about her apartment. '_At least she's not shy about making herself comfortable. I could get used to this._' Apparently she spaced out because she hadn't notice then the woman standing in front of her again until a tan hand grabbed her own.

"I want you to take this back," Korra spoke softly, almost hesitantly. Her hand flipped the pale one, palm up, and placed a small metal piece inside of it, then wrapped slender fingers around it tightly. Asami looked up into those gorgeous ocean eyes. "I meant what I said – what's mine is yours. Use the gym whenever you want. Heck, you can fix up my old study spot if you want; make yourself a little work station for other projects. I don't care. Just…" She paused and shook her head. "Just, use this. Keep it. And, don't throw it back at me, okay?"

Asami smiled and nodded. She reached up with her free hand to grab the woman by the back of her neck, pulling her into a soft kiss. They closed their eyes and breathed deeply through their noses, the air tingling each other's cheeks and Asami's thumb rubbing lightly against the soft baby hairs at the base of Korra's hairline. As they released themselves from their magnetic pull to one another, the two said their goodbyes and confirmed that they'd see each other at the garage that evening.

Asami's day had gone downhill quickly. The moment she stepped into the office, there was a swarm of messages from firm clients, associates, and various other people with a variety of complaints. She sat at her desk and pawned through each piece of paper, reading the scribble her assistant and the receptionist handed her when she walked in. There was one that caught her attention, though.

_From: Kya_

_In Regards: Lower Clinic_

_Message: Please come by this evening. Bring Bolin with you. I asked him to meet you outside your office. It's urgent._

There was no number to call back, and with a little research, she came to find out that there wasn't a public listing for the clinic anywhere. She had two options: comply with the request, or ignore it. Really, she had one option, because she knew there was no way she'd ignore any request for assistance. But, she also had no way of getting in touch with Korra to tell her she wouldn't make it to the garage later. She didn't want to leave her new… What was the woman to her? Friend? Girlfriend? Lover? That last one didn't make sense, as they weren't really in that "phase" of the relationship yet. Relationship? Is that what it was? Either way, she didn't want to leave her without knowing, as she knew the girl would get worried if she didn't show up. Given that it was already well into the afternoon, she elected to take the rest of the day off. The rest of the messages would have to wait until tomorrow.

Arriving at the garage, the bay doors were all closed and it didn't look like there was anyone around. She parked in front of her usual spot and walked to the side where the door to an office leading into the bays was. It was unlocked, so that was a good sign. The bays were empty, but she called out anyways. "Korra?" No response. "Korra… are you here?" The continued silence led her to walk out the back door, thinking that the woman was likely in the gym.

As she edged open the door to outside, she noticed a taller man walking towards the second hut. He was wearing dark grey coveralls and a maroon colored shirt with the sleeves bunched up to his elbows. His hair looked black and somewhat spikey, but his back was to her so she couldn't see his face. He reached into his pocket, pulling out what looked like a set of keys, while looking from side to side before opening the door. As he walked in quickly and shut it behind him, Asami, too, looked around, and made her way to the door.

Grabbing the knob, in an effort to follow the man, she turned it, but it stuck. The door was locked. Remembering the key in her pocket, she pulled it out, attempting to open the door as her curiosity got a hold of her. Flipping the lock with a subtle click, she moved to open it once more, but stopped as a voice suddenly surprised her. "Greetings, Ms. Sato…"

Releasing her grip, the woman jumped back, startled by the unexpected approach, and spun around quickly. "Aang," she shouted, gripping her clothing close to her heart, willing its rapid beating to slow down. "Goodness, you scared me. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," she started, giving her a look that she couldn't quite interpret. "Can I help you find something?"

"Oh, I – uh –" She looked at the key in her hand and decided to pocket it once more. "I'm here looking for Korra. Something came up, preventing me from meeting her here later. I didn't want her to worry, so I figured I'd swing by real quick to let her know."

Nodding in understanding, the older man brushed his thumb and forefinger against his chin in thought. "I see, I see. Well, you know she's often found in her gym, but she's actually not here at the moment." He eyed over the tall woman once more. "That doesn't, however, explain why you're here, at this hut."

With her nerves getting the better of her for being caught, she decided the truth was probably the best way to go. "Right… I saw someone I didn't recognize go in here, so I thought I'd see what was going on. But, the door was locked."

"And now it's not…" the man trailed off accusingly.

She sighed. "No, it's not. Korra gave me a key, which apparently worked. I was about to check it out when you caught me off guard."

He nodded once more. "Shall we take a look then?"

Surprised, thinking that she'd done something wrong and was about to be shooed away, emerald eyes widened slightly before placing her hand on the handle in agreement. "Yes, let's."

The door swung open slowly and the two were met with darkness, the light from outside only casting a few shadows across the room. Turning to the inside of the doorframe, she found and flipped a switch, causing the blubs overhead to flutter alive in a bright awakening. Scanning the room, there was nothing more to it than a simple workshop. Shelves of tools lay on one side, a large, wooden work bench in the shape of an 'L' covering the other two walls and corner. For the most part it was clean, but knowing Korra's stickler attitude towards people cleaning up their workstations when their done, that wasn't a surprise.

"You said you saw someone come in here, correct?" Aang's question had a hint of certainty in it, like he knew something more.

Asami just shook her head and continued to look around the room for any signs of someone having entered. "I could have sworn that I did, but… now I'm not sure." There was no denying what she saw, but it didn't make sense. '_Where did he go?_'

The older man, with his strong demeanor and warm features, set a hand on the woman's shoulder as she turned to look at him. "It's no matter. Why don't you leave a note for Korra in her office? I'll be sure she sees it." Asami agreed and left the hut, making her way to the gym's entrance.

Everything seemed to be normal as she made her way into the small office. Except, as she made her way, a few minor details seemed to make her a little put off. The door had been unlocked, which was certainly unusual, seeing as she'd been given a key, in addition to the office lights having been left on. Korra didn't have much in terms of money, that fact being obvious by her frequent lecture to the patrons about conserving water and energy. Unless the woman had a sensitivity to "going green", there was no other reason to explain her regular insistence to those notions. Thus, something was wrong.

Entering the office, she looked around for a blank sheet of paper and a pen. An opened envelope with a letter sticking out caught her attention, particularly due to the small bit of writing that had been done in crayon being visible. Curiosity got the better of her, coaxing her to picking it up and opening the small sheet. There was a cute drawing of stick figure with a matching blue top and bottom. There were tall buildings on either side, what looked like the sun peaking out in the top corner. The stick figure had short brown hair and blue eyes, the lower half of the face being covered by a white square. The stick person was holding the hand of a smaller stick person with a large smile on the little face. There were a couple of words written at the bottom of the page, barely legible. '_Thnk yu.'_

Once again, the brilliant mind of the woman couldn't put the pieces together. She remembered her conversation with Aang some time ago, his comment about receiving letters of appreciation circling her thoughts. This was obviously one of those, but the reasoning for it eluded her. That was something to think on another day though, as she hoped Korra would tell her when she was ready, and she made a promise to wait. Replacing the letter to its original spot, she found a blank sheet and began one of her own.

_Korra–_

_Something came up that I have to take care of. I won't be able to make it back here this evening, so I stopped by to let you know, but Aang said you were out. If you happen to find this, come by tonight and have dinner with me? I shouldn't be home too late, but I'll leave word at the desk to let you in if I'm not there. Please, make yourself at home._

_–Asami_

Making her way back to her firm's building, she pulled up front, only to find Bolin standing outside waiting for her. The car rolled up to the curb, its window rolling down quickly so the woman could call out to her friend. "Bolin!"

The burly man spun around, his look of confusion obviously indicating that he had expected the woman to come through the doors and not from the street. "Oh hey! There you are! Are you ready to go?"

"Absolutely. Get in."

The drive was mostly made in silence, Asami easily remembering her way to the clinic without issue. Slightly irritated by the lack of information, she finally spoke up. "What exactly is this about?"

Broad shoulders shrugged in response. "Beats me. I got a call from Opal a few hours ago telling me to meet you at your office to come down here. When I asked what for, she just told me that they needed you and I was supposed to keep you company."

Confusion struck again. Something caught her attention though. As they drove through a block in the Slums, several groups of people stopped their conversations to look at them as they drove past. Some even flat out glared, their crossed arms and aggressive intentions resonating in her rear view mirror. Glancing at her passenger, she noticed his demeanor change as well, alertness to his eyes and the way he sat up being evident. "You see it too?" she asked.

"Yeah," he started, responding somewhat distantly as his attention remained on the people around them. "Something is up, but I don't know what."

Finally arriving at the clinic, Bolin instructed her to park close to the entrance, backing into the spot, in case they needed to leave quickly. They walked inside hurriedly, neither wanting to be outside for very long. Upon opening the door, Opal's voice rang loudly to announce their arrival. "Asami! Bolin! You finally made it! We were starting to worry."

Bolin spoke up first. "What for? The drive was really strange. I kept getting a bad feeling and random folks seemed to keep looking at us."

The short woman, much shorter than Asami had remembered, nodded in response, as if she'd expected that to happen. "I'm glad you made it here alright. Kya wants to speak with Asami." She looked up to the taller woman expectantly. "She's in one of the exam rooms. Just go through the doors and it's the first one of your left. Bo and I will keep and eye out in the front."

Not understanding what was happening, the raven-haired woman couldn't ignore the somewhat panicked tone Opal had been using, inclining her to agree without any protest. Making her way through the doors and to the room she'd been directed to, she knocked as she noticed the door was closed. An older woman answered, her hair greyed and small swoops of her hair edging close to her eyes before making their way into large bun in the back. There was a slight hunch in her stature, but her expression was soft and her smile inviting. "Ms. Sato, please, come in and take a seat."

Asami followed the instruction, seeing Kya sitting inside on a small stool by an exam table. Another stool was across from her, one, which she sat down on hesitantly. "It's good to see you, Kya," she greeted with a quick smile of her own. Looking at the other woman, who closed the door behind her, she spoke again. "I don't think we've met?"

A wrinkled hand extended in invitation. "It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Sato. I've heard many lovely things. My name is Katara."

Jade eyes widened at the name, causing her a brief moment of pause before realizing she was being rude. Quickly, she shook the woman's hand firmly. "You, as well. I heard of you the last time I was here. And, please, call me Asami."

The woman smiled widely in response before letting go and glancing sideways to Kya, returning her gaze to the green eyes that were fixated on her after what seemed like a short, silent conversation between the two. "Do you know why you are here, Asami?"

She shook her head. "I don't, but I assume it has something to do with why people were staring us down on the drive over."

Kya stood up, moving to the side as she signaled for the Katara to take her seat. She paced for a moment. "That's part of it. I'm sure you've noticed by now that there's no one in the waiting area, and obviously there's no patient in this exam room."

Thinking for a moment, the raven-haired woman was inclined to agree, though not having noticed during the rush. "I didn't notice right away, but yes, I can see that. I don't understand how the two are related, though." The last part was spoken more so as a question than a statement.

"Unfortunately, the city office that kept us going shut the clinic down this morning. Apparently, someone was told that we weren't exactly working up to code." Kya's gaze remained on the floor as she spoke, her pacing slowly continuing. "We've done everything we can to keep this place going, providing what care we can for the people who need it. This was the only clinic left in the Slums." Blue eyes met green, a hint of aggression behind that oceanic hue. "Somebody is intentionally trying to keep us from operating."

Asami was shocked by the sudden accusing tone. She stood up defensively. "And you think that person was me? I just found out about this place yesterday."

Katara made an audible sigh and put her hands up, waving the two to opposite corners. "Asami, no one is accusing you. And, kiddo, you know better. Why don't you go take a walk and check on Opal and Bolin?" Kya sighed as well before stepping outside to do as suggested, closing the door behind her. A darker version of the same blue eyes looked back at Asami, and the connection between the two finally clicked.

"You're Kya's mother?" Asami was superbly confused. '_How is it that all of these people are connected?_'

"I am. Aang and I have 3 children."

'_SERIOUSLY?!_' she screamed in her head. "You and AANG!? Wait… You mean Aang, as in Aang from the garage? Korra's mentor?"

Katara nodded. "One of several mentors, yes. Aang and I owned the garage previously. It was passed to Korra when we wanted to retire. Though, people like us never truly retire. We just stop working for a paycheck, doing it instead for the happiness it brings us."

"I thought Korra said she bought it?"

"Not exactly, but that's close enough." The woman looked around, as though searching for her next words. "We didn't call you here to discuss logistics, however. We called you for your help."

Slightly stunned, an eyebrow shot up quizzically. "I'm not exactly sure how it is that I can help you."

"I'm sure you noticed the demeanor of the people in the Slums as you made your way here, am I right?" Asami nodded in confirmation. "We asked Bolin to ride with you for protection. Your confirmation suggests that my fears were correct. Whomever is shutting us down is trying to place the blame on you."

Launching from her stool, sending it flying to the ground, the slender woman raised her voice in frustration. "What?! Why?! I didn't do anything!"

"Calm dow–"

"No! This is ridiculous. After not having been in this area for years, I come down here once and suddenly people want to accuse me of shutting this place down? That's absurd!" Her face flushed in anger as her temper rose at the idea.

"Please, Asami, sit down and let me explain." The girl took a few deep breaths and picked up the stool, settling on it once again. "You were mugged here once before, am I correct?" Wide-eyed at the true fact suddenly thrown at her, Asami nodded in confirmation once more. "You probably never understood why that happened, why a gang would target you."

She shrugged. "Most people know me, and most people know I have money. They wanted it."

The old woman shook her head. "Not exactly. They targeted you because they were targeting your father."

Thrown off by the information once more, her fists clenched at the fabric of the pants she wore. "What? Why would you say that?"

"Because he went after and ruined the best up-and-coming doctor this city had seen in a very long time, essentially stripping the Slums, and many others, of someone who took the utmost care of everyone and had the ability to treat ailments that most others could not. Unfortunately, people died because of it."

Asami was at a complete loss for what she was being told, and what blame had apparently been passed down to her, and how her father could be a part of the deaths of others. "And who would that be?"

Once more, blue eyes met green, a wave of sorrow crossing over the strong gaze before answering with a single word. "Korra."

* * *

A/N: Oh. Snap. I'll be awaiting some heavy comment conversation after that dropped bomb.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Whew! This one was a pain to write. I was on the serious struggle bus, but I think I pieced it together well enough. There's quite a bit more plot building in this chapter. Are you all annoyed with me yet? Haha. Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 13

It didn't make sense. She knew her father was greedy, his desire for money being his downfall that landed him in jail, but to actually be a part of something that lead to people dying? That was crazy! Even more so was her newfound relationship with Korra. If what Katara was saying rang true, why would the young woman be seeking her affection? None of it made any sense…

"That can't be true…" her voice trailed off, quiet and reserved, the will to fight having left her body entirely. "I just… but… Korra…"

"Unfortunately, it is true. But, there's much more to the story." Katara spoke softly, as if trying to avoid provoking the woman in front of her. "Although, I you need to hear that from Korra, and you can't bring it up to her, either."

That certainly got Asami's attention as she snapped out of her stupor and stared daggers at the old woman. "You drop something like that on me and expect me to play it off like it never happened?!" Her anger was building again, her irritation at the events unfolding quickly become more than she wanted to deal with. "I don't even know what to think now! Korra and I… we –"

"I am certain that Korra's feelings for you are genuine," the woman cut in slightly, noticing where the younger woman's thoughts were going. "I am aware of what's been going on between you two, and I don't think you need to worry about that."

"But… her career ended. How could she –"

"She doesn't know."

Another bomb dropped on her heart shattered her insides into a million pieces. Crimson lips hung agape at the revelation. "You mean…" she whispered.

The woman sighed, doing her best not to show the pain she was feeling at having to share the news. "I mean she doesn't know that it was your father who organized her trial and manufactured the evidence against her. A man named Varrick was the prosecutor, in his stead."

Her head dropped to her hands as the information overwhelmed her. Fingers gripped the edges of her dark silken hair, entangling within the locks only to grab and pull in a stressful gesture. Palms forced back the tears in her eyes, the concept of avoiding ruining her makeup lost to her. After a couple minutes of wrapping her head around it all, she looked up again. "Alright, let me get this straight… Korra was an aspiring doctor and something happened that caused my father to go after her. But, he used Varrick to work the case in court, which, by the sounds of it, he won… I know she was a med student, but what I don't understand is why that would interest my father, and how she wouldn't know my family was involved, seeing as Varrick was one of my father's partners."

"That is correct," Katara began. "The details as to why, and I do apologize, but you'll have to hear those from Korra. As for Varrick, he didn't prosecute under your father's firm's name. Instead, if I recall, he partnered with another lawyer, Zhu Li, under a different firm name."

She remembered when Varrick had left, not understand at the time why that was, seeing as he was her father's pride and joy, as well as one of the youngest people to ever make partner. Realizing that she wasn't going to get the rest of the questions she had answered, Asami moved on to the other elephant in the room. "Okay, so where do I fall into all of this? You said you needed my help."

Silver threads shook slightly as the woman nodded, taking advantage of the change of subject. "We know someone is trying to blame you, but we think the best way to clear that up is for you to take our case and defend the clinic. Not to mention that you're one of the best lawyers in the city. Though, I realize your firm has been trying to recover since your father's scandal came to light, and this may be a way to get it back in the city's good graces."

"Alright, I see how this benefits me," she stated matter-of-factly, "but, I don't see the benefit for you, especially seeing as medical practice suits are not my specialty. I'd be going in blindly."

Katara smiled at this, which, if anything, only made Asami more confused. "I don't believe this will be a difficult matter to clear up. The city received an anonymous tip that we had been giving 'under the counter' treatments to patients, however, there is no proof to that fact, and they are simply working by a rumor until an investigation is complete. They won't find anything to that affect, but investigations are time consuming and often have long waiting periods, which I'm hoping you can help to push along." The woman paused, looking into the emerald eyes of curiosity. "I also think this will be a great learning experience, in that you may eventually help in… other matters."

Not wanting to press any further, as the only thing the now exhausted young woman wanted to do was go home and sleep, she simply decided to agree. "Alright, I'll look into it. But, you do realize there's a lot of unknowns here, which could make this very difficult."

"I understand, dear, and I'll help in anyway I can." The woman's brittle bones popped a few times as she stood, resting a hand on the defeated girl's shoulder. "You're doing a good service for the people, and others will take notice… including Korra."

That wasn't why she was doing it, but she understood the underlying implication. If Korra saw her helping her old mentor, then maybe the blow of what her father did would lesson when the truth came out… if it came out. '_That's silly; of course she's going to find out. Lying isn't the best way to start a relationship._' With that thought, she grimaced at herself. Was she really going to have to lie to the girl already? With a sad sigh escaping, Katara pat her shoulder comfortingly and led them out to speak with the others.

In seeing the two walk out from the back, Kya, who'd been sitting by the door, knocked on it twice, apparently signaling for Bolin and Opal to reenter, as they opened the door and walked in almost immediately. "So? What's the plan?" Kya asked.

"Asami has agreed to help us settle the matter with the city," Katara began. "Hopefully we can clear this up quickly, in the next few days, so that we can let folks back in. In the meantime," her gaze shifted to the smallest woman in the room, "Opal, I need you to work with Tenzin. You know what to do." The girl nodded in agreement. Shifting her attention once more, Katara spoke again. "Kya, I want you to tend elsewhere for the time being. And Bolin," the instructions continued, "I want you to stay with Asami. Whomever is targeting her may take interest even outside of the Slums." Bolin threw a quick thumbs up and a smile at the assignment.

"Wait a second," Asami spoke up at the inclination that she needed a bodyguard. "I can take care of myself just fine, and I can't have Bolin tagging along while I'm at work, or everywhere else, for that matter."

Katara was about to answer until Bolin put up his hand and cut in, his voice coming out soft, calm and reassuring. "I'm not going to get in the way, Asami. I promise. But, if this is what Katara thinks is needed, then I trust her judgment. I don't exactly know what's going on, but I know what I saw and the feeling I got on our way here, and it wasn't good. I can hang around outside during your regular work hours and crash on a couch at your pl–"

"NO!" Her outburst was a little louder than intended. "Sorry… I mean, no, you can't stay there." She sighed for a moment, her eyes avoiding the several pairs that were looking at her intently. "Korra stayed with me last night, and I invited her over again tonight. Between the two of us, I'll be fine. That is," she looked up to Katara, "if I can explain to her what's going on."

Bolin and Opal exchanged a worried look at each other, while Kya looked at her mother questioningly. The old woman closed her eyes and tapped a finger on her chin, her brows furrowed in deep thought as she considered the request. After a long minute, she looked up to the younger girl, who remained impassive as she waited patiently. "I think that would be alright. However, Korra will likely have an… awkward reaction. I need you to promise me that you won't press her about it. Can you do that?"

Asami narrowed her eyes at the request, but begrudgingly agreed. It was apparent that there was definitely something going on, the mystery of it all making her highly irritated, but she had made promises, and Asami always kept her word. "Alright, fine. But, I want to be honest with her about how this all played out, so Bolin," she looked to her friend, "I'm going to explain how you'd brought me here and that you'll be keeping an eye on me." Wincing at the comment and frowning slightly, he nodded in understanding.

"It's settled then," Katara spoke up once more. "When everything is worked out, please have Bolin come find me." The emerald-eyed woman agreed and her and Bolin left to head back to the office so she could get started. On their way, the eccentric friend who'd blindly agreed to watch over her tried to pry information from her about the situation, but there wasn't much to tell. She had no idea who was targeting her, she couldn't tell anyone about what her father did, she didn't know why he did it, the vagueness of many other pieces remained, and now she had to help solve a problem that she had no idea how to fix or how she managed to get involved in the first place. It all started because she wanted a place to relax. '_How did all of this happen…_' she kept asking herself, but there was no answer, regardless of how many times the question made its way across her mind.

Everyone around the office had gone home by the time they arrived, and Bolin found the couch in her office to be comfortable enough to fall asleep on, leaving the lawyer to research in peace. Pouring over one book after another, she never once looked up from her focus, determined to find a solution to get around the city's investigation so the clinic could reopen as soon as possible. It wasn't until the sound of shuffling feet startled her from the quiet she was accustomed to did she look up at the clock and realize how late it was.

"Asami, you've been at this for hours. Can we leave yet?"

She jumped out of her chair and gathered her things quickly. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize how late it had gotten!" Realization dawned on her that she was supposed to meet Korra several hours ago. '_SHIT!_' "Oh no, Korra…"

"Didn't you say you were supposed to meet her earlier?" Bolin ask apprehensively.

"Yeah, I said I'd meet her for dinner at my place. Ugh… We need to hurry!" Long legs bolted for the garage, Bolin struggling to keep up behind her. When they finally arrived at her apartment building, he got stepped out of the car and moved to walk inside with her. She stopped and turned to him. "I'm fine Bolin, you can head home."

He shook his head in response. "I'd feel better if you'd let me walk up with you and make sure Korra is there. If not I can fill in and sleep on the couch."

She understood his hesitation, remembering the agreement that he'd only leave her side if Korra was around. They made their way to the penthouse, her pausing at the door while she mentally chastised herself for getting distracted. Opening the door, they stepped in quietly, the first thing to catch Asami's attention being the two plates of food and full wine glasses sitting on the kitchen island. Across the room, a small lamp was lit on a side table by the windows, a shadowy figure wrapped in a blanket facing towards the city lights outside.

Turning, she looked to Bolin. "I think I'll be fine; you can go home now. I'll see you in the morning?" Looking towards his friend with a grim face, worry evident in his features, he hesitated, obviously unsure of what to do. She rested a hand on his arm to get his attention. "I'll take care of her, I promise." She did her best to reassure him, which he must have believed as he turned to head out the door, closing it softly behind him.

Asami removed her boots and jacket and left them in the foyer, stopping momentarily to steel herself before heading into what she knew was going to be a wave of disappointment. Treading lightly, she made her way across the room, hovering slowly in an attempt to gauge if the girl was asleep or not.

"I'm awake, you know. You don't have to be so quiet." The voice came out low and flat.

Asami moved around the chair to kneel in front of the woman. "Korra… I'm so sorry. I got caught up and completely lost track of time." Blue eyes remained half open and staring out into the night. "Korra?" she tried again to get some kind of reaction.

The girl pushed the blanket off of her and stood up. She walked around Asami and headed towards the door, picking up her shoes in the hallway and tugging them on.

Jade eyes grew wide at the passive movements, stunned in place by the act of dismissal. "Korra? Where are you going?"

"Home," she stated. "I waited to make sure you were alright, which, you are, so now I'm leaving."

Quickly realizing that there was much more than disappointment in the woman's tone, she stood up and walked back towards the entrance. "Please don't leave." The words came out quiet and pleading. Azure orbs finally looked up to meet jade.

"I don't like feeling toyed with, Asami. I had a bad enough day as it was and I was really looking forward to spending the evening with you when I found your note. But then you didn't show up. What am I supposed to do with that?" Her tone wasn't angry or frustrated, but instead was laced with hurt and… something else that Asami couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Slender arms wrapped around the tanned woman's waist. Her eyes looked away while Asami leaned back to get a good look at her face. "You're supposed to listen to my explanation. I'm sorry – I really didn't intent to ditch you this evening. But, something came up, which I need to talk to you about." The girl's attention made it's way back to the raven-haired woman as eyes focused on each other once again. "I was called to meet someone at a place I think you know – the lower clinic."

Blue eyes widened in shock. "Asami! The Slums are dangerous! You shouldn't go down there alone!"

Dark hair swayed as she shook her head. "I wasn't along, I had Bolin with me." The other woman's expression shifted to confusion. "Kya called me to meet with Katara and they insisted Bolin tag along." Her eyes widened once more, but the expression looked more fearful than that of shock.

Korra pulled the arms around her away from her waist and took a step back. "What?! You spoke to Katara?" Her voice rose an octave whilst asking the question.

Momentarily raising an eyebrow at the sudden change, Asami let it go and pressed on with her story. "Yes. Bolin brought me to the clinic yesterday. Kya left a message this morning for me to come back, at which point they explained that the city closed them down and Katara asked me for legal assistance."

A caramel hand ran through chocolate locks, the woman taking a few steps away, apparently gathering her thoughts. "Why would Bolin take you there?" she asked, looking away at nothing in particular.

"He was trying to convince me to go back to the garage."

She paced a bit more. "But… why take you there to do that?"

"He wanted to introduce me to some people that know you… that knew about me and you. To give me a reminder, I guess."

Her head nodded as she continued to walk in small circles. "What did Katara say?"

Asami sighed at the game of twenty questions. "Just that they needed help."

"But, why you?"

"I don't know, Korra." Her voice began to rise in irritation. "All I know is that the only clinic in the Slums was shut down due to a rumor, they needed legal help, which I can provide, and I have to keep Bolin around because someone is targeting me."

Korra spun around immediately at the last line. "What do you mean someone is targeting you?!"

"I don't know why, but as I drove to the clinic, people kept throwing angry glances my way, a few even making some provoking gestures. When I told Katara, she suggested that people might be targeting me because I'm a well-known lawyer with a father that screwed a lot of people." She lied. "She suggested that Bolin stick with me for a while for protection, until we can get clinic up and running again. She hopes that my help will get whomever may have a grudge against my father will back off when they see the good I'm doing." That was, at least, mostly true.

Eyes darted to the door then back to Asami, again. "Then why did he leave?"

The lawyer took a few steps forward, a smug smile tugging at her lips. Her hands reached up to tanned cheeks, pulling the woman into a seering kiss. She pulled back after a long minute, catching the girl's dreamy gaze. "Because I said you'd protect me."

Strong arms wrapped themselves around the slim woman, tugging her close and stealing another heart-ponding kiss. "I'd do anything for you," she stated brightly through her smile. It didn't last long, though, as a frown appeared and she looked away. "I'm sorry I got frustrated earlier," she started. "I didn't know where you were and I felt stood up, in your own place no less, which is especially embarrassing, and…" Her words drifted off as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

With her hands still on the woman's cheeks, Asami pulled her back from wherever that adorable brain drifted off to. "Hey… tell me what's on your mind."

Firm hands rubbed up and down the taller woman's back, one slightly snaking it's way under her shirt. Sad eyes looked into concerned ones. "I feel like we've been dancing around each other for a while, and… I guess, I just don't know what we are. What we're doing. What _this_ is."

Crimson lips smiled softly and she pulled back from the embrace. Pale hands wrapped around tanned ones as se stepped backwards, enticing the adorably vulnerable woman to follow. "Come to bed with me."

Making their way through the bedroom door, eyes remaining locked the entire way, Asami released her grip and moved her hands to the hem of her shirt. She pulled it over her head, tossing it to the side, and moved her hands to the waist of her pants. One step at a time, fingers slowly pulled open the buttons, and her hips swayed side to side as her thumbs tucked between the fabric and her silky skin, pushing the garment down a little at a time. Pants fell over her backside, the feel of the mattress on the back of her knees indicating she made it to her destination. She lowered herself to sit on the soft padding, lifting her legs to pull her pants the rest of the way down and kicking them away. Palming the sheets, she pushed herself back, eyes remaining on their target. "I said, come to bed with me." Her voice was low and sultry, the sound resonating like angels over the silence in the room.

Korra hadn't budged since stepping into the doorway, her eyes fixed entirely on the gorgeous woman stripping for her, mouth hung agape, goosebumps crawling over her skin. The call for her presence brought her back down to earth. "Um – what… what are you doing?"

"Answering your question." The ivory goddess shifted to her hands and knees, crawling her way to the edge of the bad, slowly leaning back to rest on her heels. "Do I have to repeat myself again, or are you just going to stand there and continue to stare?" Gorgeous tanned features regained their composure; the shorter woman striding forward to stand within reach of the beauty perched on her welcoming throne. She lifted away from her resting position, pressing her body against the still clothed form. Her hands clasped behind her back, forcing her chest forward. She leaned into the woman's ear, breathing heavily. "Do you want to take off my bra and see my nipples?" A pause. "Maybe okay with them a little?" The woman nodded frantically at the suggestion. Asami leaned in a little more, running her tongue lightly against the nape of the woman's neck, pulling away only to blow lightly on the same spot. Mocha skin visibly shivered. "Then… Take. It. Off." She whispered again, annunciating each word.

Without a moments hesitation, fingers danced across ivory hips, pulling the two women flush against each other. Dark lips ghosted over a light shoulder as the same fingers grazed lightly up a soft back, occasionally slowing so nails could cast circles before continuing their rise to the clasp that held milky orbs from flowing freely in the night air. Upon undoing the binds, the fingers continued their path upward, smoothing over shoulders to hook under cotton straps. Pulling them away, teeth followed down one arm, enough only to elicit a gasp. She pulled back, looking directly into the woman's eyes as she removed the clothing and threw it aimlessly to the side. "What are we?" she asked.

Pale fingers tucked under the only remaining shirt, pealing it away from its person. Another bra joined the pile accumulating on the floor. A moan could be heard as a pair of pink nipples pressed against brown ones. "What do you want us to be?"

"Together," was the quick response. "In every sense of the word." Korra palmed up the sides of Asami's ribs, thumbs tucking under her breasts. "I want to be with you." She kissed the red lips puckering towards her. "I want to be in you." Kisses continued down her jawline. "I want to be engrossed by you." A tongue fainted towards her sensitive earlobe. "I want you – entirely. Publicly. Privately. Perfectly."

Asami gasped, her skin's sensitivity growing to new levels under the woman's touch. She leaned away, attempting at regain that brilliantly oceanic gaze. The two shared the spark between them, neither wanting to look away from the other. A slender finger brushed across a tanned cheek and over swollen, welcoming lips. "I'm yours – entirely. If you'll have me."

Bright pearly whites shone through the crocked grin that plastered itself across Korra's face. "Oh, I'll definitely have you…"

* * *

A/N: I'm such a tease, aren't I? Sorry, not sorry :p. Next chapter = smut! (Obviously.) However, I have a very busy weekend ahead, so it'll be several days before you get it. My bad! Feel free to drop a line - your comments are highly entertaining :).

Did you notice the repeat lines from Chapter 1? I made myself happy with that one.


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